Jafary, Tahereh Al-Mamun, Abdullah Alhimali, Halima Baawain, Mahad Said Rahman, Sadik Tarpeh, William A. Dhar, Bipro Ranjan Kim, Byung Hong 2024-01-19T17:33:03Z 2024-01-19T17:33:03Z 2022-01-25 2020-05 0011-9164 https://pubs.kist.re.kr/handle/201004/118648 Microbial desalination cell (MDC) is a new ecofriendly technology that desalinates sea or brackish water by utilizing the electrical energy produced from the oxidation of organics in wastewater. However, pH imbalance as a result of proton accumulation in the anolyte and proton consumption in the catholyte significantly reduces its performance. This research demonstrated, for the first time, the proof-of-concept for a two-chamber tubular MDC (TTMDC) with a new arrangement of the anion and cation exchange membranes. The novel design was aimed to (i) mitigate the pH imbalance through a self-generated pH control mechanism, (ii) reduce internal resistance, and (iii) enhance the recovery of bioenergy in MDC using real seawater as desalination liquid. The results showed that the pH was promisingly balanced using a non-buffered domestic wastewater as the electrolyte with a significant high energy production (8 mW), current generation (43 mA), coulombic efficiency (84%), COD removal (85%) and low internal resistance (10.5 Omega) with 24.3 mg/h of desalination rate in batch operation. The study demonstrated a very promising design of MDC to achieve both the goals of high energy recovery and salt removal with self-generated pH control. English ELSEVIER Novel two-chamber tubular microbial desalination cell for bioelectricity production, wastewater treatment and desalination with a focus on self-generated pH control Article 10.1016/j.desal.2020.114358 1 DESALINATION, v.481 DESALINATION 481 N scie scopus 000519666000003 2-s2.0-85078967949 Engineering, Chemical Water Resources Engineering Water Resources Article ANION-EXCHANGE MEMBRANES POWER-GENERATION FUEL-CELLS ENERGY PERFORMANCE RECIRCULATION ELECTRICITY OPERATION SALINITY CATHODE Microbial desalination Two-chamber MDC pH imbalance Internal resistance Power recovery Salt removal