Microalgae- and biochar-mediated wastewater treatment: augmentation of bioelectrochemical nitrogen removal and biogas production
Description
Bioelectrochemical Nitrogen Treatment is an attractive approach to biological and electrochemical engineering that uses microbial reactors to catalyze the conversion of organic sources of Nitrogen into ammonia and recover energy while treating wastewater. Nitrogen is a major wastewater pollutant that is difficult to remove and can wreak havoc on the environment. One way to remove Nitrogen from wastewater is through the use of bioelectrochemical reactors. In this research, we devised a novel bioelectrochemical reactor that can simultaneously remove a high proportion of Nitrogen from wastewater, produce biogas, and generate electric power. The present study hypothesized that mixing ammonia-nitrogen and nitrate-nitrogen in an anoxic condition as well as mediating the Chlorella vulgaris and biochar in the system, would improve the bioelectrochemical removal of Nitrogen. The experiment was carried out in three independent batches, each lasting 35 days. The experimental results reveal that the enhanced bioelectrochemical system removed more than 90% of ammonia-nitrogen and nitrate-nitrogen from the wastewater samples and generated a significant amount of carbon dioxide, dinitrogen monoxide as well as a negligible percentage of methane gas. In addition, the dominant genera of bacteria, such as Sporosarcina, Tissieralla, Pseudomonas, and Trichococcus, have played an influential role in removing Nitrogen, producing biogas, and generating electric power. This unique technique can provide a viable alternative to traditional wastewater treatment systems. It is a relatively inexpensive and sustainable way to ameliorate the recurring problems of Nitrogen pollution in water bodies.