Improvement of Sediment and Water Quality with Solar Cell-Combined Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells in Oyster Farms

Abstract

It has been reported that solar cell-combined sediment microbial fuel cell (SC-SMFC) can be an alternative method for improving sediment and water quality. This study describes the employment of SC-SMFC for improving sediment and water quality in an oyster farm. The release of hydrogen sulfide from bottom sediment is one of the factors that cause the death of oysters which should be suppressed. At 3 months after the employment of SC-SMFC, bottom water (100 mm from the seafloor) and surface sediment (-100 mm from the seafloor) were collected and analyzed. The results showed decreases in hydrogen sulfide and phosphate concentrations in the sediment, indicating the improvement of sediment quality owing to the SC-SMFC application. In addition, the quality of bottom water was also improved owing to the SC-SMFC application. For example, the dissolved oxygen concentration and redox potential of the bottom water in the system-applied area remained higher comparing with those in the control area. These findings further strengthen that SC-SMFC is a highly effective method for suppressing the release of hydrogen sulfide and phosphate from sediment, which can protect water environment from hypoxia and eutrophication.

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“…They proved that the oxidation of reduced substances at the SMFC anode improve the sediment quality, in turn improving the benthos habitation in highly reduced sediment [6]. Accordingly, SMFCs have been installed in the sediment deposited near a sewage outlet and at an oyster farm to improve the quality of the sediment and water at these sites [7,8]. However, the performance of SMFCs remains low and must be improved.…”