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Table 1 Biochemical and electrochemical performance during stable operation of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) operating at pH 7.0, 5.5, or 4.0

From: Comparative metabolic state of microflora on the surface of the anode electrode in a microbial fuel cell operated at different pH conditions

MFC

COD removal efficiencya (%)

Total concentration of organic acidsb (mM)

J c sc (mA m−2)

P d max (mW m−2)

C.E. e (%)

pH 7.0

57.8 ± 8.82

0.47

410 ± 176

381 ± 155

34.0 ± 9.18

pH 5.5

57.1 ± 12.8

1.19

253 ± 52.1

147 ± 18.3

12.1 ± 3.11

pH 4.0

56.9 ± 3.61

1.80

40.7 ± 14.6

5.14 ± 1.64

1.06 ± 1.43

  1. aChemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency (%) was calculated as follows: 100 × [COD concentration in synthetic wastewater (mg-COD L−1)–COD concentration in broth (mg-COD L−1)]/COD concentration in synthetic wastewater (mg-COD L−1)
  2. bSum of the organic acid concentrations in the suspended fractions of samples collected after 30 days’ operation at pH 7.0, pH 5.5, or pH 4.0
  3. cShort-circuit current density [J sc (mA m−2)] was determined from the power density curves
  4. dMaximum power density [P max (mW m−2)] was obtained from the peak in the power density curves
  5. eCoulombic efficiency (C.E.) was calculated based on the COD removal (CODin–CODout) and the measured current, using 1 g of COD = 0.125 mol of electrons, and 1 A = 5.39 × 1023 electrons per day
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