ALBERT

Description: Energies, Vol. 11, Pages 565: Treatment of Oily Wastewater by the Optimization of Fe2O3 Calcination Temperatures in Innovative Bio-Electron-Fenton Microbial Fuel Cells Energies doi: 10.3390/en11030565 Authors: Jung-Chen Wu Wei-Mon Yan Chin-Tsan Wang Chen-Hao Wang Yi-Hao Pai Kai-Chin Wang Yan-Ming Chen Tzu-Hsuan Lan Sangeetha Thangavel Due to the fact that Iron oxide (Fe2O3) is known to have a good effect on the photochemical reaction of catalysts, an investigation in this study into the enhancement of the degradation performance of bio-electro-Fenton microbial fuel cells (Bio-E-Fenton MFCs) was carried out using three photocatalytic cathodes. These cathodes were produced at different calcination temperatures of Fe2O3 ranging from 500 °C to 900 °C for realizing their performance as photo catalysts within the cathodic chamber of an MFC, and they were compared for their ability to degrade oily wastewater. Results show that a suitable temperature for the calcination of iron oxide would have a significantly positive effect on the performance of Bio-E-Fenton MFCs. An optimal calcination temperature of 500 °C for Fe2O3 in the electrode material of the cathode was observed to produce a maximum power density of 52.5 mW/m2 and a chemical oxygen demand (COD) degradation rate of oily wastewater (catholyte) of 99.3% within one hour of operation. These novel findings will be useful for the improvement of the performance and applications of Bio-E-Fenton MFCs and their future applications in the field of wastewater treatment.