Simultaneous removal of chlorobenzene and Cr(VI) from groundwater using microbial fuel cell with low-cost Si modified ferrihydrite electrodes

Yufeng Gong; Ming Zhou; Jie Yang; Zhe Wang; Siwei An; Zezhen Pan; Xiuping Zhu; Shenfa Huang; Zimeng Wang

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131639

Simultaneous removal of chlorobenzene and Cr(VI) from groundwater using microbial fuel cell with low-cost Si modified ferrihydrite electrodes

Bioresour Technol. 2024 Oct 14:414:131639. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131639. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Yufeng Gong¹, Ming Zhou², Jie Yang³, Zhe Wang⁴, Siwei An⁵, Zezhen Pan², Xiuping Zhu², Shenfa Huang⁶, Zimeng Wang⁷

Affiliations

¹ Ministry of Ecology and Environment Engineering Center for Urban Soil Contamination Control and Remediation, Shanghai Academy of Environment Sciences, Shanghai 200233, China; Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China.
² Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China.
³ Ministry of Ecology and Environment Engineering Center for Urban Soil Contamination Control and Remediation, Shanghai Academy of Environment Sciences, Shanghai 200233, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Department of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China.
⁵ College of Oceanography and Ecological Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
⁶ Ministry of Ecology and Environment Engineering Center for Urban Soil Contamination Control and Remediation, Shanghai Academy of Environment Sciences, Shanghai 200233, China; Shanghai Technology Center for Reduction of Pollution and Carbon Emission, Shanghai 200235, China.
⁷ Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 39414163
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131639

Abstract

Aromatic chlorinated compounds and Cr(VI) in groundwater pose significant challenges due to their resistance. This study explores microbial fuel cells using low-cost Si-modified ferrihydrite (SiFh) electrodes for simultaneous chlorobenzene and Cr(VI) removal. The voltage output of MFC assembled with SiFh modified electrode was approximately 1.63 times higher than the bare electrode, achieving 1.23 times higher in chlorobenzene degradation efficiency. CF-SiFh loaded MFC had the highest power generation and best EET efficiency, which was positive to greatest and fastest chlorobenzene removal. Microbial community analysis identified the dominance of Cupriavidus and Pandoraea in chlorobenzene oxidation, while Lentimicrobiaceae and Rhodobacteraceae were key genera that may facilitate direct and indirect electron transfer within the biofilms. Cr species analysis in solution and solids confirmed it was reduced to Cr(OH)₃ or Cr_xFe_1-x(OH)₃ coprecipitates at cathode. MFCs with SiFh-modified electrodes thus offer a promising technology for simultaneous chlorinated compound and Cr(VI) removal, promising in contaminated groundwater remediation.

Keywords: Biogeobattery; Chlorobenzene degradation; Electron transfer rate; Iron oxide modified electrode.