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. 2022 Aug;12(8):172.
doi: 10.1007/s13205-022-03241-z. Epub 2022 Jul 13.

Effective salt removal from domestic reverse osmosis reject water in a microbial desalination cell

Affiliations

Effective salt removal from domestic reverse osmosis reject water in a microbial desalination cell

Aman Dongre et al. 3 Biotech. 2022 Aug.

Abstract

Microbial desalination cells (MDC) are evaluated as an environmentally friendly approach for purifying saline water by using power generated by the decomposition of organic materials in the wastewater. The present study is to evaluate the ferrocyanide-redox and biocathode approach in treating simulated saline water and subsequently recovering bio-electricity using actual domestic reverse osmosis reject water. For the desalination of simulated saline water and domestic reverse osmosis reject water, a three-chamber microbial desalination cell with graphite electrodes and anion and cation exchange membranes was constructed. When treating simulated saline water, the biocathode technique achieved a 5% improvement in salt removal and a 4.9% increase in current and power density when compared to the ferrocyanide-redox approach. When biocathode MDC was used to treat domestic reverse osmosis reject water, a maximum current and power density of 3.81 μA/cm2 and 0.337 μW/cm2, respectively, were recorded, as well as COD removal of 83.9% at the desalination chamber and ions reduction for Na, K, and Ca of up to 79%, 76.5%, and 72%, respectively, in a batch operation for 31 days with a stable pH (≈ 7). Thus, the study revealed a microbial desalination cell capable of recovering bioenergy and reducing salt from domestic reverse osmosis reject water with a consistent pH range.

Keywords: Biocathode; Microbial desalination cells; RO reject water.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Diagram of microbial desalination cell unit. AEM anion exchange membrane, CEM cation exchange membrane
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
a Power density (μW/cm2) vs current density (μA/cm2) and b current density (μA/cm2) vs time (days) observed in MDC setups 1 and 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
FESEM image of graphite anode of MDC setup 2 a before inoculation and b after 30 days of inoculation
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Change in conductivity (a), pH (b), and COD (c) of electrolyte in desalination chamber of MDC setups 1 and 2 during 30 days of incubation
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
a Power density (μW/cm2) vs current density (μA/cm2) and b current density (μA/cm2) vs time (days) observed in MDC setup 2 using domestic RO reject water
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Change in conductivity (a), pH (b), and COD (c) of electrolyte in desalination chamber of MDC setup 2 using domestic RO reject water during 30 days of incubation
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Change in the concentrations of Na, K, and Ca in desalination chamber of setup 2 with domestic RO reject water during 30 days of incubation as analyzed by a flame photometry and b ICP-MS

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