Electrochemical performance and community structure in three microbial fuel cells treating landfill leachate

Li Huang, Xiaochun Li, Teng Cai, Manhong Huang

College of Environmental Science and Engineering, State Environmental Protection Engineering Center for Pollution Treatment and Control in Textile Industry, Donghua University, Shanghai, China.

Abstract

Electrochemical performances and pollutants removal characteristics of synthetic landfill leachate were investigated using three dual-chambered microbial fuel cells (MFCs). An open circuit MFC, aerated MFC and non-aerated MFC were used to compare the performance of the different modes. Results showed that aerated MFC was superior to the open circuit MFC and the non-aerated MFC in generating electricity and removing pollutants. High-throughput sequencing of the bacterial and archaeal communities revealed that electricigen of Enterobacter and Comamonas was found in three MFCs. Methanobacterium was the genus of archaea present at the highest proportion in the open circuit MFC, non-aerated MFC and aerated MFC, at 56.67%, 51.62% and 58.37%, respectively. Diversity of the bacterial and archaeal community in open circuit MFC is higher than that of closed circuit MFC. Richness goes by contrary. The circuit connections and growth conditions can help to control the species of biomass and change the performance of MFCs.

Graphical abstract

Keywords: Microbial fuel cell, Landfill leachate, Community structure, Electrochemical performance, Archaea, Oxygen.