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Enhanced reductive degradation of methyl orange in a microbial fuel cell through cathode modification with redox mediators

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Abstract

A model azo dye, methyl orange (MO), was reduced through in situ utilization of the electrons derived from the anaerobic conversion of organics in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). The MO reduction process could be described by a pseudo first-order kinetic model with a rate constant of 1.29 day−1. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopic analysis shows that the cathode had a high polarization resistance, which could decrease the reaction rate and limit the electron transfer. To improve the MO reduction efficiency, the cathode was modified with redox mediators to enhance the electron transfer. After modification with thionine, the polarization resistance significantly decreased by over 50%. As a consequence, the MO decolorization rate increased by over 20%, and the power density was enhanced by over three times. Compared with thionine, anthraquinone-2, 6-disulfonate modified cathode has less positive effect on the MFC performance. These results indicate that the electrode modification with thionine is a useful approach to accelerate the electrochemical reactions. This work provides useful information about the key factors limiting the azo dye reduction in the MFC and how to improve such a process.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX2-YW-QN504, KJCX2-YW-H21-01) and the Outstanding Young Scientists Foundation of Anhui Province, China (10040606Y27) for the support of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China

    Guo-** Sheng, Min Sun, Guo-Long Zang, Wen-Wei Li, Zhong-Hua Tong, Fang Dong & Han-Qing Yu

  2. School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China

    Rong-Hua Liu

  3. Advanced Lab for Environmental Research & Technology, USTC-CityU, Suzhou, 215123, China

    Rong-Hua Liu, Guo-** Sheng, Wen-Wei Li, Michael Hon-Wah Lam & Han-Qing Yu

  4. Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    Rong-Hua Liu & Michael Hon-Wah Lam

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  1. Rong-Hua Liu
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  2. Guo-** Sheng
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  3. Min Sun
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  5. Wen-Wei Li
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  8. Michael Hon-Wah Lam
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  9. Han-Qing Yu
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Correspondence to Guo-** Sheng or Wen-Wei Li.

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Fig. S1

GC/MS spectrum of the cathodic sample after MO degradation extracted by dichloromethane (DOC 73 kb)

Fig. S2

HPLC spectrum of the cathodic sample after MO degradation (DOC 51 kb)

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Liu, RH., Sheng, GP., Sun, M. et al. Enhanced reductive degradation of methyl orange in a microbial fuel cell through cathode modification with redox mediators. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 89, 201–208 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-010-2875-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-010-2875-x

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