BIOELECTRICITY GENERATION AND REMEDIATION OF CONTAMINATED INTERTIDAL
ZONE OF YAMAGUCHI BAY, JAPAN
Abstract
In this study, to generate bioelectricity to power the monitoring
sensors and to improve sediment simultaneously is discussed in Yamaguchi
bay located in the south part of the Honshu island, Japan through
sediment microbial fuel cell (SMFC). To supply energy to the
geoenvironmental monitoring sensors is a serious problem, as traditional
batteries and solar cells are often inconvenient due to the limitations
of recharging and weather conditions, respectively. Four different
sediments were used in the laboratory to generate bioelectricity and to
improve sulfide contamination simultaneously by SMFCs. The acid volatile
sulfide (AVS) was determined to check the improvement of the
geo-environment of the sediments as it was the main source of
contamination in the intertidal zone (tidal flat). Various factors which
affected the voltage generation have been studied. Voltage values showed
almost twice when two anodes were used instead of a single anode. Higher
temperature showed the higher voltage due to increased activity of the
bacteria in the higher temperature. AVS values reduced quickly when the
closed circuit was used. All the marine sediments showed the decreasing
trend of AVS value with time and reached at the 0.2 mg/g-dry mud
indicating the geoenvironmental improvement of the marine sediments
within 14 days . Field test showed the higher value of voltage comparing
to the laboratory test by using the similar sized SMFCs.