Mixed transition metal-manganese oxides as catalysts in MFCs for bioenergy generation from industrial wastewater

Publication date: Available online 20 July 2019Source: Biochemical Engineering JournalAuthor(s): V.M. Ortiz-Martínez, K. Touati, M.J. Salar-García, F.J. Hernández-Fernández, A.P. de los RíosAbstractMicrobial fuel cell (MFC) technology has attracted growing interest in the past decade for simultaneous bioenergy production and wastewater treatment. These devices require cost-effective cathode catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction towards their practical implementation. The application of MFC technology for the specific treatment of industrial wastewater, which usually presents persistent pollutants, is also gaining growing attention. This work is aimed at studying the use of mixed manganese oxides with copper and nickel synthesized by co-precipitation in MFC devices fed with industrial wastewater. The new catalysts were assessed in terms of power performance and chemical oxygen removal. Active phases and constructed cathodes were characterized by XRD, EDX and elemental mapping. Among the materials analyzed, the oxide with formula NiMn2O4 offered good power performance, achieving 80 % (439 mW/m3) out of the power density obtained with Pt (549 mW/m3). Ssignificant COD removal from industrial wastewater after 168 h of operation was achieved with no previous pretreatment applied.Graphical abstract
Source: Biochemical Engineering Journal - Category: Biochemistry Source Type: research