Abstract
Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a modern technique for treating industrial wastewater and converting the organic content to bioenergy. However, improvements and modifications of MFCs are necessary to overcome the internal resistance and improve the transfer process of electrons. Nanomaterials such as multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) could be a promising material to be contributed in the MFCs modifications. In this study, two identically designed vertical flow packed bed dual chamber 3D-MFCs were constructed and operated in a continuous mode. Both MFCs were fueled with actual automobile wash wastewater (AWW) and inoculated with anaerobic aged sludge. One microbial fuel cell named as MFC1 was packed with graphite granules coated by pristine MWCNTs. The second MFC named as MFC2 was packed with graphite granules coated by acids-activated MWCNTs using a mixture of HCl, H2SO4, and HNO3 as a new approach for of MWCNTs activation. Removal efficiency of organic content and bioenergy generation were considered to evaluate the performance of the 3D-MFCs. The results revealed that the removal efficiency of the organic matters was relatively comparable in both 3D-MFCs. Maximum removal efficiency of COD was 87%±2.0 and 90%±1.1in MFC1 and MFC2, respectively. On the contrary, the power output in MFC2 was higher than its value in the MFC1. Maximum achieved power density was 332 mW/m3 and 462 mW/m3 in MFC and MFC2, respectively indicating the effect of acid activation on promoting the electrode conductivity. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in addition to oil and grease (O&G) were found in considerable concentrations in the actual AWW. The removal of SDS and O&G was 87.3%±1.1 and 83% ±2.0 in MFC1, whereby, in MFC2 it was 99.99%±0.1 and 88%±1.7, respectively. The promising results potentially encourage the application of the suggested technique for automobile wash wastewater.
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