Methane Production in Microbial Reverse-Electrodialysis Methanogenesis Cells (MRMCs) Using Thermolytic Solutions
Type
ArticleKAUST Grant Number
KUS-I1-003-13Date
2014-07-10Online Publication Date
2014-07-10Print Publication Date
2014-08-05Permanent link to this record
http://hdl.handle.net/10754/598816
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The utilization of bioelectrochemical systems for methane production has attracted increasing attention, but producing methane in these systems requires additional voltage to overcome large cathode overpotentials. To eliminate the need for electrical grid energy, we constructed a microbial reverse- electrodialysis methanogenesis cell (MRMC) by placing a reverse electrodialysis (RED) stack between an anode with exoelectrogenic microorganisms and a methanogenic biocathode. In the MRMC, renewable salinity gradient energy was converted to electrical energy, thus providing the added potential needed for methane evolution from the cathode. The feasibility of the MRMC was examined using three different cathode materials (stainless steel mesh coated with platinum, SS/Pt; carbon cloth coated with carbon black, CC/CB; or a plain graphite fiber brush, GFB) and a thermolytic solution (ammonium bicarbonate) in the RED stack. A maximum methane yield of 0.60 ± 0.01 mol-CH 4/mol-acetate was obtained using the SS/Pt biocathode, with a Coulombic recovery of 75 ± 2% and energy efficiency of 7.0 ± 0.3%. The CC/CB biocathode MRMC had a lower methane yield of 0.55 ± 0.02 mol-CH4/mol-acetate, which was twice that of the GFB biocathode MRMC. COD removals (89-91%) and Coulombic efficiencies (74-81%) were similar for all cathode materials. Linear sweep voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests demonstrated that cathodic microorganisms enhanced electron transfer from the cathode compared to abiotic controls. These results show that the MRMC has significant potential for production of nearly pure methane using low-grade waste heat and a source of waste organic matter at the anode. © 2014 American Chemical Society.Citation
Luo X, Zhang F, Liu J, Zhang X, Huang X, et al. (2014) Methane Production in Microbial Reverse-Electrodialysis Methanogenesis Cells (MRMCs) Using Thermolytic Solutions. Environ Sci Technol 48: 8911–8918. Available: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es501979z.Sponsors
We thank Michael Siegert for help with biocathode development. This research was supported by Award KUS-I1-003-13 from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), the Global Climate and Energy Program (GCEP), the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (863 Program; No. 2011AA060907), and a scholarship from the China Scholarship Council (CSC).Publisher
American Chemical Society (ACS)PubMed ID
25010133ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1021/es501979z
Scopus Count
Collections
Publications Acknowledging KAUST SupportRelated articles
- Direct biological conversion of electrical current into methane by electromethanogenesis.
- Authors: Cheng S, Xing D, Call DF, Logan BE
- Issue date: 2009 May 15
- Energy capture from thermolytic solutions in microbial reverse-electrodialysis cells.
- Authors: Cusick RD, Kim Y, Logan BE
- Issue date: 2012 Mar 23
- Microbial reverse electrodialysis cells for synergistically enhanced power production.
- Authors: Kim Y, Logan BE
- Issue date: 2011 Jul 1
- Optimization of membrane stack configuration for efficient hydrogen production in microbial reverse-electrodialysis electrolysis cells coupled with thermolytic solutions.
- Authors: Luo X, Nam JY, Zhang F, Zhang X, Liang P, Huang X, Logan BE
- Issue date: 2013 Jul
- Understanding methane bioelectrosynthesis from carbon dioxide in a two-chamber microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) containing a carbon biocathode.
- Authors: Zhen G, Kobayashi T, Lu X, Xu K
- Issue date: 2015 Jun