Electrochemical and bioelectrochemical ammonium recovery from N-loaded streams using a hydrophobic membrane
Ul Kausar, Zainab (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Galeano, Mariella Belen (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Sulonen, Mira (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Baeza Labat, Maria del Mar (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Química)
Baeza Labat, 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:	2025
Abstract:	Bioelectrochemical systems enable the recovery of ammonium from wastewater with low energy requirements and as a concentrated nitrogen-rich stream. This work aims to thoroughly investigate different cathodic electrode configurations and to optimize the operational conditions for active ammonium recovery from synthetic wastewater as concentrated ammonium sulphate. Different applied current intensities (50 mA, corresponding to 5 A m, and 75 mA, corresponding to 7. 5 A m) and initial ammonium concentrations (between 0. 3 and 3 g L N-NH ) were tested in an abiotic electrochemical system to understand the upper threshold of the used three-chamber configuration with hydrophobic membrane in terms of ammonium recovery rate (R). With an external current of 75 mA, the highest value was 55 gN-NH m d when removing 97 % from an initial ammonium concentration of 3 g L. Bioelectrochemical ammonium removal/recovery was evaluated under different applied potentials (0. 8, 1. 0, 1. 2, and 1. 4 V) using two configurations: a Nickel-based gas diffusion electrode (GDE) and a configuration with the cathode (stainless steel or nickel foam) physically separated from the hydrophobic membrane. The highest removal rate (R) (21 gN-NH m d) was exhibited for stainless steel cathode at 1. 4 V mainly due to its higher current density, which increased the cations migration. This higher R also led to a higher R (17 gN-NH m d).
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:	Ammonium recovery ; Cation exchange membrane ; Hydrophobic membrane ; Microbial electrolysis cell ; Ni foam ; Stainless steel
Published in:	Bioelectrochemistry, Vol. 166 (December 2025) , art. 109013, ISSN 1878-562X

DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2025.109013

12 p, 3.2 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