[Electricity generation from synthetic wastewater treatment in microbial fuel cell]

Microbial fuel cell [MFC] used for electricity generation and wastewater treatment, simultaneously. In MFC, microorganisms act as a catalyst to convert chemical energy stored in organic materials into electrical energy. This study was performed with the aim of electricity generation from synthetic wastewater treatment in microbial fuel cell. A dual chambered microbial fuel cell was operated in continuous flow for 720 hours at temperature 20 +/- 4 °C at different organic loading rates and hydraulic retention times. Organic loading rate and hydraulic retention time were effective factors for the power production and removal of organic loading rate. Maximum COD removal efficiency was observed as 49% for a period of 1.5 to 2.5 hours that this range of time can be used as optimum retention time for operation of microbial fuel cell reactor. Maximum voltage and power production were obtained 700 mV and 1700 mW/m[2], respectively. Considering the advantages such as direct electricity generation from wastewater and considerable removal efficiency of organic loading rate, wastewater treatment in a microbial fuel cell, application of industrial scale microbial fuel cell for wastewater treatment is recommended after complementary studies and economic assessment

Removal of cadmium and humic acid from aqueous solutions using surface modified nanozeolite A

The sorption of cadmium and humic acids from aqueous solutions using surface-modified nanozeolite A has been investigated under various examination conditions. The morphology of untreated and treated nanozeolite was studied under scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. Isotherms of cadmium adsorption onto surface-modified nanozeolite A were studied at different pH, solid to liquid ratio, adsorbate concentration and interaction time. Kinetic and equilibrium studies were conducted and the equilibrium data have been analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The study revealed that experimental results were in agreement with the Freundlich model. The Langmuir monolayer adsorption capacity was found to be 1666.67 g cadmium and 6.75 g humic acid per gram of modified nanozeolite A, which is higher than that of reported value for other zeolites. The sorption ability was enhanced by surface modification and reduction in size and enabled the zeolite to adsorb cadmium. The adsorption of cadmium and humic acid on nanozeolite was found to be the highest at pH 6 and 3, respectively. Results showed that solid to liquid ratio and pH are the most important factors for cadmium and humic acid removal, respectively. Effect of competitive ions was studied and results showed that there is no competition between cadmium and humic acid sorption and presence of these ions