Investigation of nutrient suppression performance of Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells as a sediment remediation technology

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K16205
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Environmental engineering and reduction of environmental burden
• Research Institution: Gunma University
• Principal Investigator: KUBOTA Keiichi 群馬大学, 大学院理工学府, 助教 (50707510)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 微生物燃料電池 / 閉鎖性水域 / 底質改善 / 栄養塩採溶出抑制 / 底生環境

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research investigated the possibility of Sediment Microbial Fuel Cell (SMFC) as a nutrient release suppression technology with sediment remediation. Nitrogen release from sediment with SMFC reduced by 20% to 30% as compared with open circuit operation. However, the suppression effect of NH4, which is produced by biodegradation, became low when electrical generation performance was high. The reason for this was considered to be that the high electrical generation performance of SMFC enhanced microbial activity in sediment. Phosphorus release from sediment with SMFC reduced by 10% as compared with open circuit operation. Additionally, SMFC had a stable nutrient release suppression in a wide range of water temperature between 30 and 10 degrees C. It showed that SMFC displays the ability of nutrient release suppression throughout the year.

Free Research Field

水環境工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

閉鎖性水域などで顕在化している底質汚染は底生環境に多大な悪影響をおよぼしている。なかでも汚染底質からの栄養塩類の再溶出は、更なる環境悪化を招いてしまう。本研究は、新規底質改善技術のSMFCの栄養塩溶出抑制効果に着目した。本研究成果より、SMFCは窒素やリンの再溶出の抑制が可能であることが示された。また、水温変化や長期運転による性能変化を明らかとし、実環境への適用の可能性を示した。SMFCは、底質改善のみならず栄養塩類の再溶出抑制も可能とし、複合的に底質環境の改善を可能とする新規の底質改善技術であり、閉鎖性水域などで生じている問題の効率的な解決に寄与することが出来る。