Simultaneous nutrient-abundant hydroponic wastewater treatment, direct carbon capture, and bioenergy harvesting using microalgae–microbial fuel cells

Hydroponics has increasingly been recognized as an important agricultural method due to its stable crop yields under rapidly changing environmental conditions. However, the efficient treatment of nutrient-rich hydroponic wastewater remains a major challenge. This study investigates the effect of ano...

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Main Authors: Yustika Desti Yolanda, Sangsik Kim, Weonjung Sohn, Ho Kyong Shon, Euntae Yang, Sungyun Lee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Desalination and Water Treatment
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1944398624204513
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author Yustika Desti Yolanda
Sangsik Kim
Weonjung Sohn
Ho Kyong Shon
Euntae Yang
Sungyun Lee
author_facet Yustika Desti Yolanda
Sangsik Kim
Weonjung Sohn
Ho Kyong Shon
Euntae Yang
Sungyun Lee
author_sort Yustika Desti Yolanda
collection DOAJ
description Hydroponics has increasingly been recognized as an important agricultural method due to its stable crop yields under rapidly changing environmental conditions. However, the efficient treatment of nutrient-rich hydroponic wastewater remains a major challenge. This study investigates the effect of anodic pH on the performance of microalgae–microbial fuel cells (mMFCs), focusing on bioelectricity generation, photosynthetic oxygen supply, nutrient removal and recovery, and carbon capture. The mMFC system achieved a maximum power density of 122.5 mW/m², a chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency of 93.7 %, and an anode-side total nitrogen removal efficiency of 27.5 % at an acidic anodic pH. In addition, the cathode chamber had a total ammonium nitrogen removal efficiency of 22.6 %, which was ascribed to a combination of ammonium migration and subsequent nitrogen assimilation, and a phosphate removal efficiency of 100 %, likely due to microalgal uptake and adsorption. The mMFC also effectively captured CO2 with an algal biomass yield of 0.01379 g·L−1·d−1 and a CO₂ fixation rate of 0.02528 g·L−1·d−1. These findings provide insights into the optimization of mMFCs as a sustainable solution for managing nutrient-rich hydroponic wastewater, contributing to energy-efficient and resource-recovering wastewater treatment technologies.
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issn 1944-3986
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spelling doaj-art-2beca920000c4d7b90ba75bbd44ebffa2025-08-20T03:04:46ZengElsevierDesalination and Water Treatment1944-39862025-01-0132110094110.1016/j.dwt.2024.100941Simultaneous nutrient-abundant hydroponic wastewater treatment, direct carbon capture, and bioenergy harvesting using microalgae–microbial fuel cellsYustika Desti Yolanda0Sangsik Kim1Weonjung Sohn2Ho Kyong Shon3Euntae Yang4Sungyun Lee5School of Advanced Science and Technology Convergence, Kyungpook National University, 2559 Gyeongsang-daero, Sangju-si, Gyeongbuk 37224, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Energy Chemical Engineering, Kyungpook National University, 2559 Gyeongsang-daero, Sangju-si, Gyeongbuk 37224, Republic of Korea; Convergence Research Center of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering, Kyungpook National University, 2559 Gyeongsang-daero, Sangju-si, Gyeongbuk 37224, Republic of KoreaSchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW 2007, AustraliaSchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW 2007, AustraliaDepartment of Marine Environmental Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Gyeongsangnam-do 53064, Republic of Korea; Corresponding author.School of Advanced Science and Technology Convergence, Kyungpook National University, 2559 Gyeongsang-daero, Sangju-si, Gyeongbuk 37224, Republic of Korea; Department of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Kyungpook National University, 2559 Gyeongsang-daero, Sangju-si, Gyeongbuk 37224, Republic of Korea; Corresponding author at: Department of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Kyungpook National University, 2559 Gyeongsang-daero, Sangju-si, Gyeongbuk 37224, Republic of Korea.Hydroponics has increasingly been recognized as an important agricultural method due to its stable crop yields under rapidly changing environmental conditions. However, the efficient treatment of nutrient-rich hydroponic wastewater remains a major challenge. This study investigates the effect of anodic pH on the performance of microalgae–microbial fuel cells (mMFCs), focusing on bioelectricity generation, photosynthetic oxygen supply, nutrient removal and recovery, and carbon capture. The mMFC system achieved a maximum power density of 122.5 mW/m², a chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency of 93.7 %, and an anode-side total nitrogen removal efficiency of 27.5 % at an acidic anodic pH. In addition, the cathode chamber had a total ammonium nitrogen removal efficiency of 22.6 %, which was ascribed to a combination of ammonium migration and subsequent nitrogen assimilation, and a phosphate removal efficiency of 100 %, likely due to microalgal uptake and adsorption. The mMFC also effectively captured CO2 with an algal biomass yield of 0.01379 g·L−1·d−1 and a CO₂ fixation rate of 0.02528 g·L−1·d−1. These findings provide insights into the optimization of mMFCs as a sustainable solution for managing nutrient-rich hydroponic wastewater, contributing to energy-efficient and resource-recovering wastewater treatment technologies.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1944398624204513Microalgae–microbial fuel cellHydroponic wastewaterNutrient removalEnergy recoveryCarbon capture
spellingShingle Yustika Desti Yolanda
Sangsik Kim
Weonjung Sohn
Ho Kyong Shon
Euntae Yang
Sungyun Lee
Simultaneous nutrient-abundant hydroponic wastewater treatment, direct carbon capture, and bioenergy harvesting using microalgae–microbial fuel cells
Desalination and Water Treatment
Microalgae–microbial fuel cell
Hydroponic wastewater
Nutrient removal
Energy recovery
Carbon capture
title Simultaneous nutrient-abundant hydroponic wastewater treatment, direct carbon capture, and bioenergy harvesting using microalgae–microbial fuel cells
title_full Simultaneous nutrient-abundant hydroponic wastewater treatment, direct carbon capture, and bioenergy harvesting using microalgae–microbial fuel cells
title_fullStr Simultaneous nutrient-abundant hydroponic wastewater treatment, direct carbon capture, and bioenergy harvesting using microalgae–microbial fuel cells
title_full_unstemmed Simultaneous nutrient-abundant hydroponic wastewater treatment, direct carbon capture, and bioenergy harvesting using microalgae–microbial fuel cells
title_short Simultaneous nutrient-abundant hydroponic wastewater treatment, direct carbon capture, and bioenergy harvesting using microalgae–microbial fuel cells
title_sort simultaneous nutrient abundant hydroponic wastewater treatment direct carbon capture and bioenergy harvesting using microalgae microbial fuel cells
topic Microalgae–microbial fuel cell
Hydroponic wastewater
Nutrient removal
Energy recovery
Carbon capture
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1944398624204513
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