Strategies to Enhance p-Nitrophenol Biodegradation and Bioelectricity Generation in a Microbial Fuel Cell

P-nitrophenol (PNP) is a recalcitrant and toxic industrial pollutant that poses significant environmental risks and requires innovative degradation methods. In this study, various strategies were applied to enhance the anaerobic PNP degradation in terms of degradation rate or voltage production in a Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC). Approximately ۹۷% of the initial ۱۰۰ mg/L PNP was removed under Open-Circuit Voltage (OCV) conditions in the presence of ۳ g/L glucose as the growth substrate (۹.۷ mg/L.d). A maximum voltage of ۲۶۹ mV was generated under Closed-Circuit Voltage (CCV) conditions in the presence of ۱۵۰ mM potassium ferricyanide as the cathodic medium, instead of Phosphate Buffer Solution (PBS), with ۷۳ mV steady-state voltage production. The voltage increased to ۴۶۹ mV when the two MFCs were connected in series, but no improvement in the PNP Degradation Rate (DR) was observed (۱۳.۸ mg/L.d). The PNP DR increased by ۴۲% under the CCV condition to ۱۳.۸ mg/L.d. The PNP DR improved to ۱۹.۵ mg/L.d using two different strategies of mixing the anodic medium or glucose fed-batch feeding every ۲۴ h. The intermediates produced during PNP biodegradation were identified using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS), revealing the pathway for PNP biodegradation, ultimately leading to the β-ketoadipate pathway.

کلیدواژه ها:

Microbial fuel cell ، Biodegradation ، Energy enhancement ، Power Generation ، p-Nitrophenol