Effects of anode modification on the performance of single chamber microbial fuel cells

An air-cathode single-chamber microbial fuel cells were constructed using the aging landfill leachate as substrate to study the influence of different anode modifications on microbial fuel cell performance in terms of the electricity productivity and the effects on the treatment of aging landfill leachate. After the carbon felt anode modification separately with heating, concentrated nitric acid, acidic potassium dichromate and mixed acid, the maximum output power density of cells increases by 104%, 241%, 51%, and 181%, respectively, and the removal of ammonia increases by 22.2%, 21.8%, 2.3% and 47.3%, respectively, while the removal efficiency of COD is improved less. As the pH value of landfill leachate increases, the conductivity decreases.