Bioanode as a limiting factor to biocathode performance in microbial electrolysis cells.

The bioanode is important for a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) and its robustness to maintain its catalytic activity affects the performance of the whole system. Bioanodes enriched at a potential of +0.2V (vs. standard hydrogen electrode) were able to sustain their oxidation activity when the anode potential was varied from -0.3 up to +1.0V. Chronoamperometric test revealed that the bioanode produced peak current density of 0.36A/m2 and 0.37A/m2 at applied potential 0 and +0.6V, respectively. Meanwhile hydrogen production at the biocathode was proportional to the applied potential, in the range from -0.5 to -1.0V. The highest production rate was 7.4L H2/(m2 cathode area)/day at -1.0V cathode potential. A limited current output at the bioanode could halt the biocathode capability to generate hydrogen. Therefore maximum applied potential that can be applied to the biocathode was calculated as -0.84V without overloading the bioanode. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Citation

Swee Su Lim, Eileen Hao Yu, Wan Ramli Wan Daud, Byung Hong Kim, Keith Scott. Bioanode as a limiting factor to biocathode performance in microbial electrolysis cells. Bioresource technology. 2017 Aug;238:313-324

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PMID: 28454006

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