Large-scale switchable potentiostatically controlled/microbial fuel cell bioelectrochemical wastewater treatment system

The treatment of municipal wastewater is an energy-intensive process, with the delivery oxygen as electron acceptor accounting for a significant share total energy consumption. Microbial communities growing on polarized electrodes can facilitate processes by exchanging electrons electrodes. As new approach, we combined use microbial fuel cells (MFCs) to develop switchable dual-mode bioelectrochemical system. In this system, first enriched anodes and cathodes. After enrichment, system was switched either self-powered MFC (SP-MFC) mode or potentiostatically controlled (PC) mode. evaluated at laboratory scale (260 L, 4 anode cathode pairs) pilot (1200 16 pairs). PC SP-MFC systems showed improved COD removal relative control (41.6 ± 3.5 38.4 3.1 vs 28.8 2.1 mg L−1 d−1, respectively). laboratory-scale operated without biological electrical interruption one year. Finally, specific enrichment active observed in comparison mixed-operation non-polarized anodes. allowed us sustainable failure-free