Effect of Operating Parameters on the Performance Evaluation of Benthic Microbial Fuel Cells Using Sediments from the Bay of Campeche, Mexico

Nancy González-Gamboa, Xochitl Domínguez-Benetton, Daniella Pacheco-Catalán, Sathish Kumar-Kamaraj, David Valdés-Lozano, Jorge Domínguez-Maldonado and Liliana Alzate-Gaviria
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Nancy González-Gamboa: Renewable Energy Unit, Yucatan Center for Scientific Research (CICY), Carretera Sierra Papacal-Chuburná Puerto Km 5, Sierra Papacal 97302, Yucatán, Mexico
Xochitl Domínguez-Benetton: Separation and Conversion Technologies, VITO-Flemish Institute for Technological Research, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
Daniella Pacheco-Catalán: Renewable Energy Unit, Yucatan Center for Scientific Research (CICY), Carretera Sierra Papacal-Chuburná Puerto Km 5, Sierra Papacal 97302, Yucatán, Mexico
Sathish Kumar-Kamaraj: Laboratorio de Cultivo de Tejidos Vegetales, Instituto Tecnológico el Llano Aguascalientes (ITEL), Tecnológico Nacional de México (TecNM), Aguascalientes, Km 18 Carr. Aguascalientes-San Luis Potosí, El Llano, Ags. C.P. 20330, Mexico
David Valdés-Lozano: Marine Chemistry Laboratory, Center for Research and Advanced Studies, National Polytechnic Institute Mérida Unit, Carretera Antigua a Progreso Km 6, Mérida 97310, Yucatán, Mexico
Jorge Domínguez-Maldonado: Renewable Energy Unit, Yucatan Center for Scientific Research (CICY), Carretera Sierra Papacal-Chuburná Puerto Km 5, Sierra Papacal 97302, Yucatán, Mexico
Liliana Alzate-Gaviria: Renewable Energy Unit, Yucatan Center for Scientific Research (CICY), Carretera Sierra Papacal-Chuburná Puerto Km 5, Sierra Papacal 97302, Yucatán, Mexico

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 7, 1-15

Abstract: Benthic microbial fuel cells (BMFC) are devices that remove organic matter (OM) and generate energy from sediments rich in organic nutrients. They are composed of electrodes with adequate different distances and floating air cathodes in an aqueous medium with saturated oxygen. In this study we proposed to design, build, analyze and evaluate a set of BMFCs with floating air cathodes to test the optimal distance between the electrodes, using sediment from the Bay of Campeche as a substrate. For the analysis of OM removal, COD tests, volatile solids (VS), E 4 /E 6 study and FTIR analysis were performed. Power generation was evaluated through polarization curves, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). We achieved a current density and power density at 10 cm depth of 929.7 ± 9.5 mA/m 2 and 109.6 ± 7.5 mW/m 2 respectively, with 54% removal of OM from the sediment, obtaining formation of aliphatic structures. BMFCs are proposed as adequate systems for bioremediation and power generation. The system at 10 cm depth and 100 cm distance between sediment and the floating air cathode had a good performance and therefore the potential for possible scaling.

Keywords: benthic microbial fuel cell; organic matter; floating air cathodes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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