Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Development of Photo-Bioelectrochemical Systems for Wastewater Treatment
EPA Grant Number: SU835306Title: Development of Photo-Bioelectrochemical Systems for Wastewater Treatment
Investigators: He, Zhen , Brastad, Kristen , Jacobson, Kyle , Xiao, Li , Ge, Zheng
Institution: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Phase: I
Project Period: August 15, 2012 through August 14, 2013
Project Amount: $15,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2012) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , P3 Challenge Area - Air Quality , P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
Sustainable wastewater treatment should significantly clean polluted water (people) and minimize energy consumption of the treatment process (prosperity), as well as reduce the carbon footprint due to energy use (planet). Through linking a MFC to an algal bioreactor, the two treatment processes are cooperatively connected for the same purpose of treating wastewater, with two different bioenergy products: bioelectricity from the MFCs, and biomass (for biofuels production) from algal bioreactor.
This project aims to further research an innovative wastewater treatment system with significant bioenergy production through understanding the involved microbial community and identifying the dominant species. By synergistically linking microbial fuel cells (MFCs) to algal bioreactors, an integrated photo- bioelectrochemical (IPB) system for complete treatment of wastewater and bioenergy production is created.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
The IPB system can remove 121.91 kg/m3/year COD, 11.972 kg/m3/year ammonia, and 0.365 kg/m3/year total phosphorous based on reactor volume with an energy recovery of 0.03 kWh/m3 based on treated wastewater. But it is unclear how much energy could be harvested in scaled-up system.
Conclusions:
In conclusion, the IPB system can be an effective approach for both wastewater treatment and energy recovery. But several challenges should be addressed for practical application that how to scale up, how to separate biomass and how to disposal biomass. In future research, we recommend to use smaller external resistance load to reach better COD reduction and higher electricity production.
Supplemental Keywords:
bioenergy, microbial fuel cells, algae, wastewater treatment, sustainabilityThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.