A modified two-point titration method for the determination of volatile fatty acids in anaerobic systems.

The volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration plays important roles in the rapid start-up and stable operation of anaerobic reactors. It's essential to develop a simple and accurate method to monitor the VFA concentration in the anaerobic systems. In present work, a modified two-point titration method was developed to determine the VFA concentration.

Electron acceptors for energy generation in microbial fuel cells fed with wastewaters: A mini-review.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have gained tremendous global interest over the last decades as a device that uses bacteria to oxidize organic and inorganic matters in the anode with bioelectricity generation and even for purpose of bioremediation. However, this prospective technology has not yet been carried out in field in particular because of its low power yields and target compounds removal which can be largely influenced by electron acceptors contributing to overcome the potential losses existing on the cathode. This mini review summarizes various electron acceptors used in recent years in the categories of inorganic and organic compounds, identifies their merits and drawbacks, and compares their influences on performance of MFCs, as well as briefly discusses possible future research directions particularly from cathode aspect.

Microbial communities involved in electricity generation from sulfide oxidation in a microbial fuel cell.

Simultaneous electricity generation and sulfide removal can be achieved in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). In electricity harvesting from sulfide oxidation in such an MFC, various microbial communities are involved. It is essential to elucidate the microbial communities and their roles in the sulfide conversion and electricity generation.

Microbe-assisted sulfide oxidation in the anode of a microbial fuel cell.

Sulfide oxidation is coupled with electricity generation in a sulfide-fed microbial fuel cell (MFC). This study demonstrated that both electrochemical reactions and microbial catalysis were involved in such a complex sulfide oxidation process in the anode of an MFC. The microbe-assisted sulfide oxidation generated a higher persistent current density than the sulfide oxidation via single electrochemical reactions only.

An MEC-MFC-coupled system for biohydrogen production from acetate.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are devices that use bacteria as the catalysts to oxidize organic and inorganic matter and generate current whereas microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) are a reactor for biohydrogen production by combining MFC and electrolysis. In an MEC, an external voltage must be applied to overcome the thermodynamic barrier. Here we report an MEC-MFC-coupled system for biohydrogen production from acetate, in which hydrogen was produced in an MEC and the extra power was supplied by an MFC.