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Prairie Swine Centre is an affiliate of the University of Saskatchewan
Prairie Swine Centre is grateful for the assistance of the George Morris Centre in developing the economics portion of Pork Insight.
Financial support for the Enterprise Model Project and Pork Insight has been provided by:
Treating Swine and Municipal Wastewater with Microbial Fuel Cell Technology
Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Prairie Swine Centre by admin on August 9, 2016
Authors: B.Z. Predicala, M Nemati, L.D. Moreno
Reference: Prairie Swine Centre Annual Research Report 2014-15
Wastewater generated in the agriculture sector contain organic and nitrogenous compounds which represent a valuable source of energy that could be harnessed to offset the energy required for wastewater treatment. The potential use of microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology for treatment of agricultural wastewater was evaluated.
Using model compounds (i.e., lactate, acetate, phenol), it was shown that treatment of organic and nitrogenous compounds with concomitant generation of energy can be achieved successfully in microbial fuel cells, with biodegradation rates in continuous mode MFCs significantly higher than in batch systems. Biodegradability of the organic compounds influenced the open circuit potential (OCP), electrical current and power generation, which were higher in continuously operated MFCs. The possibility of biological removal of ammonia and nitrite (nitrification and nitritation processes) in the MFC systems was also demonstrated.
Treating water with microbial fuel Predicala