Effect of Electrode Distances on Remediation of Eutrophic Water and Sediment by Sediment Microbial Fuel Cell Coupled Floating Beds

Abstract

Efficient and sustainable technologies for cleaning of contaminated water and sediments are in urgent demand. In this study, a new type of sediment microbial fuel cell coupled floating bed (FB-SMFC) was developed to repair eutrophic water and sediment in a cleaner way. The effect of electrode spacing on the power generation capacity and the synchronous remediation of pollutants from eutrophic water and sediment were studied. When the electrode distance was 60 cm, the maximum power generation and pollutant removal effects were obtained. At the end of the experiment, the maximum output voltage was 0.4 V, and the chemical oxygen demand (CODCr, potassium dichromate method), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) contents in the overlying water were 8 mg/L, 0.7 mg/L, and 0.39 mg/L. The corresponding removal rates were 88.2%, 78.8%, and 59.0%, respectively. The removal rates of organic matter and TN in the sediment were 12.8% and 86.4%, respectively, and the fixation rate of TP was 29.2%. Proteobacteria was the dominant phylum of bacteria in the sediment and anode. Many anaerobic bacteria were found in the overlying water, which facilitated denitrification. Overall, the results of this research revealed a highly efficient and reliable strategy for eutrophic water and sediment remediation, aquatic ecosystems restoration, and human health protection.