The role of microbial electrogenesis in regulating methane and nitrous oxide emissions from constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell

Abstract

This study assesses a sustainable solution to greenhouse gases (GHGs) mitigation using constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells (CW-MFC). Roots of wetland plant Acorus Calamus L. are placed in biological anode to better enable anode microorganisms to obtain rhizosphere secretion for power improvement. Three selected cathode materials have a large difference in GHG emissions, and among them, carbon fiber felt (CFF) shows the lowest emissions of methane and nitrous oxide, which are 0.77 ± 0.04 mg/(m2·h) and 130.78 ± 13.08 μg/(m2·h), respectively. The CFF CW-MFC achieves the maximum power density of 2.99 W/m3. As the influent pH value is adjusted from acidic to alkaline, the GHGs emissions are reduced. The addition of Ni inhibits GHGs emission but decreases the electricity, the power density is reduced to 1.09 W/m3, and the methane and nitrous oxide emission fluxes decline to 0.20 ± 0.04 mg/(m2·h) and 15.49 ± 1.86 μg/(m2·h), respectively. Low C/N ratio reduces methane emission, while high C/N ratio effectively inhibits nitrous oxide emission. At the influent pH 8 and C/N = 5:1, the methane emission flux is approximately 10.60 ± 0.27 mg/(m2·h), and the nitrous oxide emission flux is only 10.90 ± 1.10 μg/(m2·h). Based on the above experimental results by controlling variable factors, it is proposed that CW-MFC offers an environment-friendly solution to regulate GHG emissions.