Wastewater treatment by Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) prior irrigation water reuse

Although wastewater use in irrigation provides one solution to water scarcity, it also presents a threat to the environment Thus, wastewater treatment prior to irrigation is necessary. Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) is a sustainable technology that treats wastewater and generates electricity simultaneously while leaving low concentrations of nutrients in the effluent In order to explore the economic returns of using MFC as a pre-irrigation treatment method for wastewater, a case study involving fruit processing wastewater in a semi-arid region was conducted. The potential profit from treated water and produced electricity was estimated. The analysis showed that MFC is a promising technology that appears to be economically feasible and that can reduce water and energy shortages. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.