Recovery of Bioelectricity Generation from Wastewater Resources Using Constructed Wetlands by Adoption of Microbial Fuel Cell Technology
摘要
The rise of industrial expansion and population growth has led to an increased demand for economical and environmentally suitable methods of wastewater treatment. Constructed wetlands are low-cost engineered system that mimics natural wetlands for the purification and treatment of wastewater. Traditional wastewater treatment methods often require significant investments in both money and energy. However, several eco-technologies have been developed in recent years that treat wastewater, while simultaneously harvesting energy and natural resources. One such system, which operates under redox conditions, is the microbial fuel cell. The anaerobic digestion of wastewater produces biogas, which has high potential energy. Incorporating microbial fuel cells into the treatment process is one alternative to creating sustainable energy. Coupling microbial fuel cells with the natural redox gradient of constructed wetlands can cleanse wastewater and produce bioelectricity simultaneously. The bio-interaction of exo-electrogenic bacteria thriving on organic matter in the anaerobic zone of wetland, along with substrate buildup, and chemical reactions, induces the generation of electricity. This chapter summarizes a sustainable, affordable, and energy-efficient technology for treating wastewater and producing bio-electricity by combining artificial wetlands with microbial fuel cells.