Hydrogen Production from Winery Wastewater Through a Dual-Chamber Microbial Electrolysis Cell
This study explores the feasibility of producing biohydrogen from winery wastewater using a dual-chamber microbial electrolysis cell (MEC). A mixed microbial consortium pre-adapted to heavy-metal environments and enriched with <i>Geobacter sulfurreducens</i> was anaerobically cultivated...
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| author | Ana Baía Alonso I. Arroyo-Escoto Nuno Ramos Bilel Abdelkarim Marta Pereira Maria C. Fernandes Yifeng Zhang Annabel Fernandes |
| author_facet | Ana Baía Alonso I. Arroyo-Escoto Nuno Ramos Bilel Abdelkarim Marta Pereira Maria C. Fernandes Yifeng Zhang Annabel Fernandes |
| author_sort | Ana Baía |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study explores the feasibility of producing biohydrogen from winery wastewater using a dual-chamber microbial electrolysis cell (MEC). A mixed microbial consortium pre-adapted to heavy-metal environments and enriched with <i>Geobacter sulfurreducens</i> was anaerobically cultivated from diverse waste streams. Over 5000 h of development, the MEC system was progressively adapted to winery wastewater, enabling long-term electrochemical stability and high organic matter degradation. Upon winery wastewater addition (5% <i>v</i>/<i>v</i>), the system achieved a sustained hydrogen production rate of (0.7 ± 0.3) L H<sub>2</sub> L<sup>−1</sup> d<sup>−1</sup>, with an average current density of (60 ± 4) A m<sup>−3</sup>, and COD removal efficiency exceeding 55%, highlighting the system’s resilience despite the presence of inhibitory compounds. Coulombic efficiency and cathodic hydrogen recovery reached (75 ± 4)% and (87 ± 5)%, respectively. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy provided mechanistic insight into charge transfer and biofilm development, correlating resistive parameters with biological adaptation. These findings demonstrate the potential of MECs to simultaneously treat agro-industrial wastewaters and recover energy in the form of hydrogen, supporting circular resource management strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b158c4eef5f947d2a2713ac1d065269c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj-art-b158c4eef5f947d2a2713ac1d065269c2025-08-20T03:26:52ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-06-011812304310.3390/en18123043Hydrogen Production from Winery Wastewater Through a Dual-Chamber Microbial Electrolysis CellAna Baía0Alonso I. Arroyo-Escoto1Nuno Ramos2Bilel Abdelkarim3Marta Pereira4Maria C. Fernandes5Yifeng Zhang6Annabel Fernandes7Fiber Materials and Environmental Technologies (FibEnTech-UBI), Universidade da Beira Interior, R. Marquês de D’Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilhã, PortugalAlentejo Biotechnology Center for Agriculture and Agro-Food (CEBAL), Polytechnic Institute of Beja (IPBeja), Apartado 6158, 7801-908 Beja, PortugalFiber Materials and Environmental Technologies (FibEnTech-UBI), Universidade da Beira Interior, R. Marquês de D’Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilhã, PortugalFiber Materials and Environmental Technologies (FibEnTech-UBI), Universidade da Beira Interior, R. Marquês de D’Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilhã, PortugalDepartment of Chemistry, Universidade da Beira Interior, R. Marquês de D’Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilhã, PortugalAlentejo Biotechnology Center for Agriculture and Agro-Food (CEBAL), Polytechnic Institute of Beja (IPBeja), Apartado 6158, 7801-908 Beja, PortugalDepartment of Environmental and Resources Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Bygningstorvet, Building 115, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, DenmarkFiber Materials and Environmental Technologies (FibEnTech-UBI), Universidade da Beira Interior, R. Marquês de D’Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilhã, PortugalThis study explores the feasibility of producing biohydrogen from winery wastewater using a dual-chamber microbial electrolysis cell (MEC). A mixed microbial consortium pre-adapted to heavy-metal environments and enriched with <i>Geobacter sulfurreducens</i> was anaerobically cultivated from diverse waste streams. Over 5000 h of development, the MEC system was progressively adapted to winery wastewater, enabling long-term electrochemical stability and high organic matter degradation. Upon winery wastewater addition (5% <i>v</i>/<i>v</i>), the system achieved a sustained hydrogen production rate of (0.7 ± 0.3) L H<sub>2</sub> L<sup>−1</sup> d<sup>−1</sup>, with an average current density of (60 ± 4) A m<sup>−3</sup>, and COD removal efficiency exceeding 55%, highlighting the system’s resilience despite the presence of inhibitory compounds. Coulombic efficiency and cathodic hydrogen recovery reached (75 ± 4)% and (87 ± 5)%, respectively. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy provided mechanistic insight into charge transfer and biofilm development, correlating resistive parameters with biological adaptation. These findings demonstrate the potential of MECs to simultaneously treat agro-industrial wastewaters and recover energy in the form of hydrogen, supporting circular resource management strategies.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/12/3043bioelectrochemical systemscathodic hydrogen recoveryagro-industrial effluentselectrochemical impedance spectroscopyelectroactive biofilmmixed microbial consortium |
| spellingShingle | Ana Baía Alonso I. Arroyo-Escoto Nuno Ramos Bilel Abdelkarim Marta Pereira Maria C. Fernandes Yifeng Zhang Annabel Fernandes Hydrogen Production from Winery Wastewater Through a Dual-Chamber Microbial Electrolysis Cell Energies bioelectrochemical systems cathodic hydrogen recovery agro-industrial effluents electrochemical impedance spectroscopy electroactive biofilm mixed microbial consortium |
| title | Hydrogen Production from Winery Wastewater Through a Dual-Chamber Microbial Electrolysis Cell |
| title_full | Hydrogen Production from Winery Wastewater Through a Dual-Chamber Microbial Electrolysis Cell |
| title_fullStr | Hydrogen Production from Winery Wastewater Through a Dual-Chamber Microbial Electrolysis Cell |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hydrogen Production from Winery Wastewater Through a Dual-Chamber Microbial Electrolysis Cell |
| title_short | Hydrogen Production from Winery Wastewater Through a Dual-Chamber Microbial Electrolysis Cell |
| title_sort | hydrogen production from winery wastewater through a dual chamber microbial electrolysis cell |
| topic | bioelectrochemical systems cathodic hydrogen recovery agro-industrial effluents electrochemical impedance spectroscopy electroactive biofilm mixed microbial consortium |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/12/3043 |
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