Continuous high-purity bioelectrochemical nitrogen recovery from high N-loaded wastewaters
Ul Kausar, Zainab (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Sulonen, Mira Lotta Kristiina (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Baeza, Juan Antonio (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Guisasola, Albert (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)

Date:	2024
Abstract:	Microbial electrolysis cells (MEC) have been identified as an energy efficient system for ammonium recovery from wastewater. However, high ammonium concentrations at the anode can have inhibitory effects. This work aims to determine the effects on current generation performance and active ammonia nitrogen recovery in wastewater containing 0. 5 to 2. 5 g N-NH4+/L. The study also evaluates the effect of two cathode materials, stainless steel (SS-MEC) and nickel foam (NF-MEC). When the concentration of ammonium in the feed was increased from 0. 5 to 1. 5 g N-NH4+/L the maximum current density increased from 3. 2 to 3. 9 A/m2, but a further increase to 2. 5 g N-NH4+/L inhibited the biofilm activity, decreasing the current density to 0. 5 A/m2. The maximum ammonium removal and recovery efficiencies were 71 % and 33 % at 0. 5 g N-NH4+/L. The SS-MEC exhibited more energy efficient ammonium recovery compared to the NF-MEC, requiring 3. 6 kWh/kgN,recovered at 0. 5 gN-NH4+/L. The highest ammonium recovery rate of 33 gN/m2/d (1. 5 gN-NH4+/L) was obtained with an energy consumption of 4. 5 kWh/kgN,recovered. Conversely, a lower recovery rate (10 gN/m2/d for 2. 5 gN-NH4+/L) resulted in reduced energy consumption at 2. 1 kWh/kgN,recovered. This highlights the inherent trade-off between energy consumption and efficient ammonium recovery in the process.
Grants:	European Commission 101000441 Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2021/SGR-515
Note:	Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UAB
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Hydrophobic membrane ; Microbial electrolysis cells ; Nickel foam ; Nitrogen recovery ; Stainless steel
Published in:	Bioelectrochemistry, Vol. 158 (August 2024) , art. 108707, ISSN 1878-562X

DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2024.108707

11 p, 2.1 MB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Engineering > GENOCOV
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles