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Coal tar wastewater treatment and electricity production using a membrane-less tubular microbial fuel cell

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Abstract

We report on treatment of wastewater from a coal tar refinery and electricity production using a mediator-less, membrane-less microbial fuel cell (MFC). pH in the MFC decreased from 7.8 to 7.0 during a 24-day period, whereas 88% of chemical oxygen demand, 57% of sulfate, and 41% of sulfur were removed. The concentration of chemical elements such as aluminum, silver, barium, copper, iron, molybdenum, sulfur, and strontium also decreased. Removal of phenol and 2-methyl phenol exceeded 90%. Benzonitrile and naphthalene were not detected after the MFC treatment. Maximum voltage output and power density of the MFC were 543 mV and 4.5 mW/m2, respectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, West Virginia, University, WV, 26506, USA

    Ho Il Park, Chenjie Wu & Lian-Shin Lin

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  1. Ho Il Park
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  2. Chenjie Wu
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  3. Lian-Shin Lin
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Correspondence to Lian-Shin Lin.

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Park, H.I., Wu, C. & Lin, LS. Coal tar wastewater treatment and electricity production using a membrane-less tubular microbial fuel cell. Biotechnol Bioproc E 17, 654–660 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12257-011-0374-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12257-011-0374-2

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