SHORT COMMUNICATION
Potential of Biochar-Anode in
a Ceramic-Separator Microbial Fuel Cell (CMFC)
with a Laccase-Based Air Cathode
More details
Hide details
1
Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Thaksin University, Thailand
2
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Science and Engineering,
Idaho State University, United States
3
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Thaksin University, Thailand
4
Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agro and Bio Industry, Thaksin University, Thailand
5
Department of Industrial Biotechnology, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand
Submission date: 2018-09-03
Final revision date: 2018-09-27
Acceptance date: 2018-10-21
Online publication date: 2019-09-09
Publication date: 2019-10-23
Corresponding author
Pimprapa Chaijak
Thaksin University, 222 Banprao, Paphayom, 93210 Phathalung, Thailand
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2020;29(1):499-503
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
A cost-effective biochar derived from rubber tree sawdust was prepared by low-temperature
pyrolysis at 500ºC for 2 h. The biochar was placed as an anode electrode in the anode chamber of the
novel model ceramic-separator microbial fuel cell (CMFC) with a laccase-based air cathode. The rubber
wastewater (with 500 mg/L sulfate and 1000 mg/L COD) was used as an anolyte. Maximal volumetric
power density (PD) of 3.26±0.08 μW/m3, maximal volumetric current density of 3.20±0.07 mA/m3, and
system internal resistance of 1002 Ω were obtained. The post-treatment results showed sulfate removal
and COD removal efficiencies of 88.26±1.29% and 89.77±0.45%, respectively. Our work provided
a novel model of a low-cost and economically friendly MFC system. Moreover, this work demonstrated
a potential route based on sustainable and economical biochar as a bio-anode for wastewater treatment
in an MFC.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.