Effect of the chemical oxidation demand to sulfide ratio on sulfide oxidation in microbial fuel cells treating sulfide-rich wastewater

This work focused on studying the effect of the chemical oxidation demand to sulfide ratio (COD/S) on power generation and sulfide oxidation in microbial fuel cells treating sulfide-rich wastewater containing organic contaminants. The maximum power density achieved was 20 +/- 1 W m(-3) V(Anode) and the C(oulombic) yield was 20 +/- 2%. The COD/S ofinfluent played an important role in elemental sulfur and sulfate production because of competition between acetate oxidation and element sulfur oxidation to sulfate in the anode. When the COD/S was 12.50/1, more than 74.0% of sulfide was converted into elemental sulfur after 24 hours of operation. The effect of the COD/S on power generation was negligible when the COD/S ranged between 4.85/l and 18.53/l. After 24 hours, the COD removals were 110 +/- 6, 213 +/- 9, 375 +/- 8 and 410 +/- 10 mgl(-1) when the COD/S was 4.85/1, 8.9/1, 12.5/1 and 18.53/1, respectively. The COD removal increased with the increasing COD of the influent, which fitted to the model of first-order reaction kinetics.