Sustainable electricity generation and ammonium removal by microbial fuel cell with a microalgae assisted cathode at various environmental conditions

Power generation and nutrient removal by a microbial fuel cell assisted with an algae growth in cathode chamber were evaluated along with continuous measurements of dissolved oxygen (DO) at various light and temperature conditions. Under light/dark regime of 18/6 hrs, a sustainable voltage of 0.31 V was observed with sufficient DO in the dark period. However, maximum NH 4(+)-N removal rate (22.7 mg/L.d) and removal percentage (95.5%) was observed with 12/12 light/dark regime. Voltage and nitrogen removal increased with higher photon flux density up to 92 mu Em(-2) s(-1), and the highest 0.35 V voltage and NH4+-N removal rate of 26.5 mg/L.d were obtained. A higher temperature condition was favorable to improve the performance of algae cathode MFCs, but no substantial influence was observed relatively (19-35 degrees C). This study suggests that algae-cathode MFCs could continuously generate sustainable power with nutrient removal at optimum light and temperature conditions.