Original data for Optimization: High Stability and Efficiency for Decentralized Wastewater Treatment

Published: 18 May 2026| Version 2 | DOI: 10.17632/tsx67ywc9p.2
Contributor:
Jia Xi Zhu

Description

This dataset contains the original experimental data supporting the research article "Low-Cost Salt-Bridge MFCs via KCl Concentration Optimization: High Stability and Efficiency for Decentralized Wastewater Treatment". The study focused on optimizing the KCl concentration in salt-bridge microbial fuel cells (MFCs) to enhance electrochemical performance, pollutant removal efficiency, and operational stability.

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Steps to reproduce

Experimental setup: Construct dual-chamber MFCs with borosilicate glass chambers (250±5 mL working volume per chamber), separated by KCl-agar salt bridge (5 mm thickness, 3% w/v agar) or Nafion®117 membrane (control). Anodes: carbon felt (5 cm×5 cm×0.5 cm); cathodes: carbon felt loaded with 5 wt.% Pt/C catalyst. Inoculation and acclimation: Collect activated sludge from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (Beijing, China), acclimate with synthetic wastewater (COD: 300–500 mg/L, TN: 40–60 mg/L) at gradient KCl concentrations (2 M→3 M→4 M→4.2 M, 7 days per concentration), then inoculate into anode chamber (initial VSS=300 mg/L). Operational conditions: Anode chamber fed with synthetic wastewater (Na₂HPO₄ 2.72 g/L, KH₂PO₄ 1.36 g/L, NH₄Cl 0.31 g/L, 20 mM sodium acetate, etc., pH=7.0±0.1), anaerobic conditions (N₂ purging 30 min), temperature 30±1℃. Cathode chamber: 10 mM PBS buffer + 50 mM KMnO₄. Data collection: Electrochemical data: Cyclic Voltammetry (CV, -0.8~0.2 V, 1 mV/s), Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS, 100 kHz~10 mHz), power density curves (external resistance 5 kΩ→50 Ω); Chemical analysis: COD (EPA Method 5220D), TN (persulfate oxidation-UV spectrophotometry), NH₄⁺-N/NO₂⁻-N/NO₃⁻-N (ion chromatography); Microbial data: 16S rRNA sequencing (Illumina MiSeq) for community structure, qPCR for mtrC/omcZ/pilA gene expression. Data processing: All data were analyzed with R software (version 4.0.2) and ZView software, presented as mean ± SD (n=3), statistical significance determined by t-test or ANOVA (p<0.05).

Institutions

Categories

Microbial Fuel Cell, Salt

Funders

  • Beijing Jiaotong University
    China
    Grant ID: College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program, China (Grant No. 202410004070)

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