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Bioelectrochemical Systems (BES) for Sustainable Energy Production

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A: Sustainable Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2022) | Viewed by 12192

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biological Environment, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea
Interests: bioenergy production; water–energy nexus technology; advanced water and wastewater treatment; environmental biotechnology; microbial fuel cells; microbial electrolysis cells; biogas plant; whole-cell-based biosensors; biotoxicity monitoring

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) are emerging sustainable biotechnology for energy production (such as fuel-celled derived electricity, H2, and CH4), wastewater treatment, and production of value-added chemicals such as acetate and ethanol. Development of newer concepts for  application as well as alternative materials for electrodes, separators, and catalysts along with innovative designs have made BESs a very promising technology. BESs, however, still face economic and technical challenges, which need considerable attention before achieving full potential on a commercial scale. In this regard, this Special Issue on “Bioelectrochemical Systems for Sustainable Energy Production” extends an invitation to those multidisciplinary studies in both academia and industry related to bioelectrochemical technologies and involved with process design and material fabrication, energy recovery from wastewater, and bioelectrochemical systems. Original research and studies with empirical, theoretical, computational work, and review papers are enthusiastically welcomed. Papers selected after intensive peer-review will be published instantly in the Special Issue of Energies (SCIE journal  2017 IF = 2.676),  allowing  rapid dissemination of those dedicated works. I am looking forward to your submissions that will have a significant impact on the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly technologies.

Prof. Dr. Sang-Eun Oh
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Bioelectrochemical methane production
  • Microbial electrochemistry
  • Useful resource recovery by bioelectrochemical systems
  • System and process design of microbial electrosynthesis/bioelectrochemical systems
  • Implementation of microbial electrosynthesis/bioelectrochemical systems
  • Energy harvesting in water/wastewater treatment
  • Ecofriendly technology for sustainable water treatment
  • Bioelectrochemistry

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 2017 KiB  
Article
Effect of Electrostatic Field Strength on Bioelectrochemical Nitrogen Removal from Nitrogen-Rich Wastewater
by Anna Joicy, Young-Chae Song, Jun Li, Sang-Eun Oh, Seong-Ho Jang and Yongtae Ahn
Energies 2020, 13(12), 3218; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13123218 - 21 Jun 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2574
Abstract
The effect of electrostatic fields on the bioelectrochemical removal of ammonium and nitrite from nitrogen-rich wastewater was investigated at strengths ranging from 0.2 to 0.67 V/cm in bioelectrochemical anaerobic batch reactors. The electrostatic field enriched the bulk solution with electroactive bacteria, including ammonium [...] Read more.
The effect of electrostatic fields on the bioelectrochemical removal of ammonium and nitrite from nitrogen-rich wastewater was investigated at strengths ranging from 0.2 to 0.67 V/cm in bioelectrochemical anaerobic batch reactors. The electrostatic field enriched the bulk solution with electroactive bacteria, including ammonium oxidizing exoelectrogens (AOE) and denitritating electrotrophs (DNE). The electroactive bacteria removed ammonium and nitrite simultaneously with alkalinity consumption through biological direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) in the bulk solution. However, the total nitrogen (ammonium and nitrite) removal rate increased from 106.1 to 166.3 mg N/g volatile suspended solids (VSS).d as the electrostatic field strength increased from 0.2 to 0.67 V/cm. In the cyclic voltammogram, the redox peaks corresponding to the activities of AOE and DNE increased as the strength of the electrostatic field increased. Based on the microbial taxonomic profiling, the dominant genera involved in the bioelectrochemical nitrogen removal were identified as Pseudomonas, Petrimonas, DQ677001_g, Thiopseudomonas, Lentimicrobium, and Porphyromonadaceae_uc. This suggests that the electrostatic field of 0.67 V/cm significantly improves the bioelectrochemical nitrogen removal by enriching the bulk solution with AOE and DNE and promoting the biological DIET between them. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioelectrochemical Systems (BES) for Sustainable Energy Production)
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21 pages, 4634 KiB  
Article
A Thin Layer of Activated Carbon Deposited on Polyurethane Cube Leads to New Conductive Bioanode for (Plant) Microbial Fuel Cell
by Emilius Sudirjo, Paola Y. Constantino Diaz, Matteo Cociancich, Rens Lisman, Christian Snik, Cees J. N. Buisman and David P. B. T. B. Strik
Energies 2020, 13(3), 574; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13030574 - 25 Jan 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4204
Abstract
Large-scale implementation of (plant) microbial fuel cells is greatly limited by high electrode costs. In this work, the potential of exploiting electrochemically active self-assembled biofilms in fabricating three-dimensional bioelectrodes for (plant) microbial fuel cells with minimum use of electrode materials was studied. Three-dimensional [...] Read more.
Large-scale implementation of (plant) microbial fuel cells is greatly limited by high electrode costs. In this work, the potential of exploiting electrochemically active self-assembled biofilms in fabricating three-dimensional bioelectrodes for (plant) microbial fuel cells with minimum use of electrode materials was studied. Three-dimensional robust bioanodes were successfully developed with inexpensive polyurethane foams (PU) and activated carbon (AC). The PU/AC electrode bases were fabricated via a water-based sorption of AC particles on the surface of the PU cubes. The electrical current was enhanced by growth of bacteria on the PU/AC bioanode while sole current collectors produced minor current. Growth and electrochemical activity of the biofilm were shown with SEM imaging and DNA sequencing of the microbial community. The electric conductivity of the PU/AC electrode enhanced over time during bioanode development. The maximum current and power density of an acetate fed MFC reached 3 mA·m−2 projected surface area of anode compartment and 22 mW·m−3 anode compartment. The field test of the Plant-MFC reached a maximum performance of 0.9 mW·m−2 plant growth area (PGA) at a current density of 5.6 mA·m−2 PGA. A paddy field test showed that the PU/AC electrode was suitable as an anode material in combination with a graphite felt cathode. Finally, this study offers insights on the role of electrochemically active biofilms as natural enhancers of the conductivity of electrodes and as transformers of inert low-cost electrode materials into living electron acceptors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioelectrochemical Systems (BES) for Sustainable Energy Production)
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20 pages, 2854 KiB  
Article
Energy and Emission Characteristics of Biowaste from the Corn Grain Drying Process
by Grzegorz Maj, Joanna Szyszlak-Bargłowicz, Grzegorz Zając, Tomasz Słowik, Paweł Krzaczek and Wiesław Piekarski
Energies 2019, 12(22), 4383; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12224383 - 18 Nov 2019
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4509
Abstract
This paper presents the results of the evaluation of the energy potential of waste from the process of drying corn grain in the form of corn cobs, damaged grains, corn grain husks, and mixtures of starting materials. A technical and elementary analysis was [...] Read more.
This paper presents the results of the evaluation of the energy potential of waste from the process of drying corn grain in the form of corn cobs, damaged grains, corn grain husks, and mixtures of starting materials. A technical and elementary analysis was performed for the biomass under investigation. The elemental composition of ash and the tendencies for slagging and boiler slagging were determined, and the emission factors were estimated based on the elemental analysis performed. The tests showed the highest calorific value among the starting materials for corn cobs (CCs) (14.94 MJ·kg−1) and for the mixture of corn cobs with corn husk (CC–CH) (13.70 MJ·kg−1). The estimated emission factors were within ranges of 38.26–63.26 kg·Mg−1 for CO, 936–1549 kg·Mg−1 for CO2, 0.85–4.32 kg·Mg−1 for NOx, 0.91–1.03 kg·Mg−1 for SO2, and 3.88–54.31 kg·Mg−1 for dust. The research showed that the creation of mixtures from starting materials leads to materials with lower potential for negative environmental impact as well as a reduced risk of slagging and fouling of biomass boilers. However, taking into account all the parameters determined for the biomass under study, the highest energy potential was characteristic for corn cobs and the mixture of corn cobs with corn husk. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioelectrochemical Systems (BES) for Sustainable Energy Production)
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