Enhancing electricity generation and pollutant degradation in microbial fuel cells using cyanobacteria-derived biochar electrodes

Wentao Zhang; Daifei Xu; Yue Zhao; Degui Gao; Zhaotian Xie; Xinming Zhang; Bingdang Wu; Tianyin Huang; Lele Peng

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2024.132000

Enhancing electricity generation and pollutant degradation in microbial fuel cells using cyanobacteria-derived biochar electrodes

Bioresour Technol. 2024 Dec 18:418:132000. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.132000. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Wentao Zhang¹, Daifei Xu², Yue Zhao², Degui Gao¹, Zhaotian Xie¹, Xinming Zhang¹, Bingdang Wu³, Tianyin Huang⁴, Lele Peng⁵

Affiliations

¹ Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China.
² School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215002, People's Republic of China.
³ School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215002, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Suzhou Sponge City Technology, Suzhou, 215009, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: wubingdang@usts.edu.cn.
⁴ School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215002, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Suzhou Sponge City Technology, Suzhou, 215009, People's Republic of China.
⁵ Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: penglele@sz.tsinghua.edu.cn.

PMID: 39706306
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.132000

Abstract

Utilizing microbial fuel cells (MFCs) technology to simultaneously achieve efficient biopower generation and pollutant degradation is a persistent pursuit. However, the limited rate of extracellular electron transfer (EET) and the availability of electrode materials remain key factors limiting the practical application of MFCs. In this article, modified carbon derived from cyanobacteria is applied to modify electrodes and assemble MFCs. By outputting voltage, power density, chemical oxygen demand removal rate and Coulombic efficiency the excellent bioelectricity performance of the assembled MFCs is demonstrated. The degradation performance of the assembled MFCs on various typical pollutants represented by tetracycline is illuminated, even up to 95.12%. Moreover, the pollutant removal mechanism by assembled MFCs is elucidated, including biofilm community and degradation pathway analysis. In a word, the enhanced EET process and high accessibility make the proposed MFC anode have fascinating application prospects in achieving efficient biopower generation and pollutant degradation simultaneously.

Keywords: Biopower generation; Cyanobacteria-derived carbon; Extracellular electron transfer; Microbial fuel cell; Pollutant degradation; Tetracycline.