A two-stage hybrid Constructed Wetland (CW) integrated with a microbial fuel cell (MFC), and microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) has been assessed for treatment performance and clogging assessment and further compared with CW. The CW-MEC was operated with applied potential to the working electrode and compared with the performance of naturally adapted redox potential of the CW-MFC system. A complex synthetic municipal wastewater was used during the study, which was composed of trace metals, organics, inorganics, and dye. The study demonstrated that providing a constant potential to the working electrode in CW-MEC has resulted in high treatment performance and reduced sludge generation. The maximum chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium(NH₄⁺), and phosphate (PO₄³⁻) removal achieved during treatment by CW-MEC at 24 h hydraulic retention time was 89 ± 6%, 72 ± 6% and 93 ± 2%, respectively. ICP-MS results indicated that trace metal removals were also higher in CW-MEC than in CW alone (p < 0.05). At the end of the experiment, significant volumetric change (total volume of the microcosm) occurred in CW (1.3 L), which indicates high sludge generation, whereas it was lesser in CW-MEC (0.3 L) and in CW-MFC (0.5 L). Further, Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy results indicated low levels of metal precipitation in the CW-MEC system. Based on the Shannon diversity index, the CW-MEC was assessed to be characterised by high species richness and diversity. The observations from this study indicate that the applied potential at the working electrode has a significant impact on treatment performance and clogging behaviour of the system.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell, constructed wetland-microbial electrolysis cell, electroactive wetland, microbial electrolysis cell, microbial fuel cell, microbial electrochemical technologies
Research Division:	Engineering
Research Group:	Chemical engineering
Research Field:	Wastewater treatment processes
Objective Division:	Commercial Services and Tourism
Objective Group:	Water and waste services
Objective Field:	Water recycling services (incl. sewage and greywater)
UTAS Author:	Srivastava, P (Miss KM Pratiksha Srivastava)
UTAS Author:	Abbassi, R (Dr Rouzbeh Abbassi)
UTAS Author:	Garaniya, V (Associate Professor Vikram Garaniya)
UTAS Author:	Lewis, T (Associate Professor Trevor Lewis)
ID Code:	145063
Year Published:	2021
Deposited By:	NC Maritime Engineering and Hydrodynamics
Deposited On:	2021-06-29
Last Modified:	2021-09-30
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