Influence of carbon anode properties on performance and microbiome of Microbial Electrolysis Cells operated on urine

• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2018.02.083
• Publication Date: 2018-02-15T18:06:18Z
• Authors: Sónia G. Barbosa; Luciana Peixoto; Olívia S.G.P. Soares; Manuel Fernando R...; Annemiek Ter Heijne; Philipp Kuntke; Maria Madalena Alves; Maria Alcina Pereira
• Keywords: Polyacrylonitrile; Microbial electrolysis cell

Abstract Anode performance of Microbial Electrolysis Cells (MECs) fed with urine using different anodes, Keynol (phenolic-based), C-Tex (cellulose-based) and PAN (polyacrylonitrile-based) was compared under cell potential control (1st assay) and anode potential control (2nd assay). In both assays, C-Tex MEC outperformed MECs using Keynol and PAN. C-Tex MEC under anode potential control (−0.300 V vs. Ag/AgCl) generated the highest current density (904 mA m−2), which was almost 3-fold higher than the Keynol MEC and 8-fold higher than the PAN MEC. Analysis of anodes textural, chemical and electrochemical characteristics suggest that the higher external surface area of C-Tex enabled higher current density generation compared to Keynol and PAN. Anodes properties did not influence significantly the microbial diversity of the developed biofilm. Nonetheless, C-Tex had higher relative abundance of bacteria belonging to Lactobacillales and Enterobacteriales suggesting its correlation with the higher current generation.