(Bio)electrochemical system: A systematic approach from agricultural waste to sewage wastewater treatment with nutrients and hydrogen recovery

Abstract

Sustainable biowaste utilization is currently an interesting research area to enhance its conversion to value-added products. Electrochemical and bioelectrochemical technologies are cracking up the fractionization of various types of waste for environmental cleanup processes. In the present study, agricultural waste-based extracted material was used to capture the nutrients and/or pollutants from the anaerobic bioelectrochemically treated sewage wastewater (SWW). Hydrogen production potential of 15.52–11.77 times higher than the single carbon source indicated efficient utilization of organic and inorganic matters by extant microorganisms in the SWW. The electrochemical hemicellulose (HC) extraction, nutrient recovery and other components like applied potential (mV), NaOH (M) and rice straw load (%) analysis were evaluated at three factors and three levels. The N/C ratio of 0.06 and the highest functionalities in the 150-mV extracted HC, confirm its suitability to trap nutrients/pollutants from wastewater. With the potential to substitute expensive adsorbents in the future, the additional advantage of HCs being useful in the recovery of ammonium ions for use in agriculture could positively impact the global food security program. The aim of the study is not only the recovery of nutrients from waste but also to unravel the clean path of waste management with possible green energy production.