Effect of the organic load on salt removal efficiency of microbial desalination cell

Microbial desalination cell presents a novel concept for wastewater treatment, salt removal and bioelectricity generation in a single system. In this study, the effect of organic load on salt removal in air-cathode up-flow microbial desalination cell (UMDC) was investigated in batch mode. Four different organic concentrations were fed to the anodic chamber of microbial desalination cell. The initial chemical oxygen demand in the anodic chamber was 2,024; 4,048; 6,074 and 8,096 mg/L. Real seawater was used in the desalination chamber of UMDC. The obtained results showed that the organic load 3 (initial COD of 6,074 mg/L) produced a maximum percentage of salt removal compared with other organic loads tested. The maximum power density production (1,769 mW/m2), the maximum percentage COD removal (95%) occurred with 48% salt removal in the microbial desalination cell using the organic load of 6,074 mg/L. The obtained results showed that microbial desalination cell is a unique system that provide wastewater treatment and salt removal in a single system. Organic load is a very important factor for the operation of UMDC, there is an optimum value that achieves the best performance of the UMDC system. - 2018 Desalination Publications. All rights reserved.This work was made possible by NPRP grant # 6-289-2-125 from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar Foundation). The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the authors.Scopu