Abstract
The recirculatory microbial desalination cell–microbial electrolysis cell (MDC–MEC) coupled system is a novel technology that generates power, treats wastewater, and supports desalination through eco-friendly processes. This study focuses on the simultaneous efficient removal of Fe2+ and Pb2+ in the MEC and ammonium ions in the MDC. It also evaluates the performances of dual-chambered MEC (DCMEC) and single-chambered MEC (SCMEC), coupled with MDC with Ferricyanide as catholyte (MDCF) in heavy metals (Pb2+ and Fe2+) removal, in addition to the production of voltage, current, and power within a 48-h cycle. The SCMEC has a higher Pb2+ (74.61%) and Fe2+ (85.05%) removal efficiency during the 48-h cycle than the DCMEC due to the simultaneous use of microbial biosorption and the cathodic reduction potential. The DCMEC had a higher current density of 753.62 mAm−2 than that of SCMEC, i.e., 463.77 mAm−2, which influences higher desalination in the MDCF than in the SCMEC within the 48-h cycle. The MDCF produces a higher voltage (627 mV) than Control 1, MDC (505 mV), as a power source to the two MECs. Stable electrolytes’ pH and conductivities provide a conducive operation of the coupled system. This study lays a solid background for the type of MDC–MEC coupled systems needed for industrial scale-up.
Highlights
Portable drinking water is essential for the survival of most living things, especially humans
This study lays a solid background for the type of microbial desalination cells (MDC)–microbial electrolysis cells (MEC) coupled systems needed for industrial scale-up
Microbial biosorption involves the ability of microbes to accumulate heavy metals from wastewater through metabolically mediated or spontaneous physicochemical pathways of uptake [28,34,35,36]
Summary
Portable drinking water is essential for the survival of most living things, especially humans. Various techniques for removing heavy metals and ammonia from wastewater have been researched in recent years [6,7,8] Some of these techniques include coagulation-flocculation, ion exchange, adsorption, flotation, membrane filtration, chemical precipitation, and electrochemical and bio-electrochemical methods including microbial electrolysis cells (MEC) [6,7,8]. Several technologies including reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, bioremediation, and bio-electrochemical systems (BES), such as microbial fuel cells (MFC) and microbial desalination cells (MDC), have been used to treat and desalinate wastewater or brackish water for reuse [13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21]
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