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Updated: Nov 29, 2025

Electrochemically and Bioelectrochemically Induced Ammonium Recovery
Published on: January 22, 2015
Efficiency and key functional genera responsible for simultaneous methanation and bioelectricity generation within a
Frank Koblah Quashie1, Kun Feng2, Anran Fang2
1State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; Nuclear Application Centre (NAC), National Nuclear Research Institute (NNRI), Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), P.O. Box LG 80, Legon, Ghana.
Abstract:
This study reveals the efficient treatment of high strength food waste under varying hydraulic retention times (48 h, 36 h and 24 h) in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) integrated with microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) to become a continuous stirred microbial electrolysis cell (CSMEC). COD removal efficiency in the CSMEC surpassed 92% with OLR ranging from 0.4 to 21.31 kg COD/m3·d compared to that of the CSTR. The maximum current density (based on the cathode surface area) was 1125.35 ± 81 mA/m2 in the CSMEC. Biogas yield and methane production rates increased by 16.5% and 19.3% in the CSMEC respectively compared to the CSTR. CSMEC was 1.52 times better in performance compared to the CSTR. Firmicutes, Synergistetes, Bacteroidetes, Thermotogae, Chloroflexi and Proteobacteria were the dominant phyla associated with both CSMEC and CSTR. Archaeal microbial community analysis showed Methanosaeta, Methanobacterium, Methanosarcina and Methanocorpusculum as the dominant populations associated with the CSMEC.
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