Single chamber microbial fuel cell with Ni-Co cathode

University of Opole, Department of Process Engineering, Dmowskiego Street 7-9, 45-365 Opole, Poland

^⁎ Corresponding author: barbara.wlodarczyk@uni.opole.pl

Abstract

The possibility of wastewater treatment and the parallel energy production using the Ni-Co alloy as cathode catalyst for single chamber microbial fuel cells is presented in this research. The research included a preparation of catalyst and comparison of COD, NH₄⁺ and NO₃^- reduction in the reactor without aeration, with aeration and with using a single chamber microbial fuel cell with Ni-Co cathode. The reduction time for COD with the use of microbial fuel cell with the Ni-Co catalyst is similar to the reduction time with aeration. The current density (2.4 A·m^-2) and amount of energy (0.48 Wh) obtained in MFC is low, but the obtained amount of energy allows elimination of the energy needed for reactor aeration. It has been shown that the Ni-Co can be used as cathode catalyst in single chamber microbial fuel cells.