WASTEWATER TREATMENT CHARACTERISTIC OF LACTATE CONTAINING WASTEWATER BY A SINGLE CHAMBER MICROBIAL FUEL CELL

Abstract

 In the present study, a single chamber Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) was applied for the treatment of lactate-containing food-processing wastewater to evaluate the efficiencies on electricity generation and organic treatment. Moreover, an open circuit MFC and an acetate-fed MFC were operated for compare of the process performance. As a result, a COD degradation rate of food-processing wastewater by MFC was 1.6 times higher than a COD degradation rate of open-circuit MFC (1.4 kgCOD/m³/day vs 0.9 kgCOD/m³/day). Especially, a degradation rate of propionate of lactate degradation product was increased by the application of MFC system. In addition, the genus Geobacter that is known as the exoelectrogen was observed at the MFC only. This genus was suggested to contribute to propionate degradation, in the lactate-containing food-processing wastewater treatment by MFC system.