Bioelectrochemical systems for efficient recalcitrant wastes treatment

Abstract

Recalcitrant wastes including dyes, pesticides, explosives, heavy metals, polyalcohols, furan derivatives and phenolic substances, are of special concern owing to their recalcitrance and persistence in the environment. Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) including microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and microbial electrolysis cells (MECs), integrate three important wastewater treatment options, namely, biological treatment, electrolytic dissociation and electrochemical oxidation/reduction, and are regarded as a new sustainable and effective strategy for treatment of these wastes. The simultaneous and cooperative roles of these multiple units running in parallel in BESs contribute to the efficiency of recalcitrant waste treatment, while substrate metabolism is considered to be a key step triggering different unit operations. An up-to-date review is provided on recent research and development in BESs-based recalcitrant wastes treatment. MFCs and MECs, as two types of BESs, are summarized in terms of treatment efficiency, recalcitrant substance metabolic pathway and microorganism diversity after a brief introduction to the electrochemical process for recalcitrant waste treatment. The scientific and technical challenges that have yet to be faced in the future are also discussed.

On the stability of perchlorate ions against reductive attacks in electrochemical systems and in the environment

“…An up-to-date review is provided on recent research and development in BESs-based recalcitrant wastes treatment [44]. Recently, the reduction of perchlorate in the cathode compartment of a BES has been described [45].…”

Cathodic degradation of antibiotics: Characterization and pathway analysis

“…This emerging cathodic reduction technology has great potential utilization in the wastewater treatment with the features of higher efficiency and selectivity of the reduction process (cathode providing continuous electrons), environmental friendliness (adding no chemicals and applying tiny voltage) and low-cost (without expensive catalyst) (Huang et al, 2011;Zhang and Angelidaki, 2014). Previous studies have showed that antibiotics CAP could be efficiently reduced to antibacterial inactivity products by cathode.…”

The separation of a phenol-degradable bacterium and its application on coke wastewater treatment by using microbial fuel cell technology

“…The toxic effect of Cu 2 + in activated sludge was shown in weak acid and alkaline conditions. When pH was above 7.5, Cu 2+ could transfer into Cu(OH) 2 and decrease the toxicity. However, the dissolved Cu 2+ can also cause the irreversible protein denaturation, which will affect the biological activity.…”

“…The treatment method of coking wastewater treatment in the world is the biochemical treatment process of aerobic activated sludge. In recent years, with the environmental protection agency on the water safety calls for more and more intense, many manufacturers began to proceed in activated sludge process for coking wastewater treatment process of the subsequent section increased ozone oxidation and activated carbon adsorption and other high technology content depth processing technology, the treatment of wastewater in the chroma and chemical oxygen demand (COD) to have obvious improvement [2].…”