이 연구에서는 일반적인 음극부 한 개에 양극부 한 개로
구성된 single-cathode 미생물연료전지(SCMFC)와 음극부 한
개에 양극부 두 개로 이루어진 dual-cathode 미생물연료전지
(DCMFC)를 이용하여 전류발생에 비치는 영향을 확인하였
다. 이 결과 dual-cathode 미생물연료전지에서 single-cathode
미생물연료전지 보다 전류발생이 약 40% 높았으며 COD 제
거율도 약 13% 더 높은 것으로 확인되었다. 이것은 양극부
와 음극부의 접촉면적이 증가하여 양극반응속도가 향상된
것에 의한 것으로 판단되며 dual-cathode 미생물연료전지가
single-cathode보다 전류발생과 COD제거 측면서 더 효율이
높은것으로 나타났다. 음극부 전자수용체에 대한 영향 실험
에서는 전자수용체로 사용된 질산성질소의 농도가 높아질수
록 급격히 전류발생이 감소하는 것을 확인 할 수 있었으며,
이에 대한 적절한 처리가 필요한 것으로 나타났다.Microbial fuel cells (MFC), devices that use bacteria as a catalyst to generate electricity, can utilize a variety
of organic wastes as electron donors. The current generated may differ depending on the organic matter concentrations
used, when other conditions, such as oxidant supply, proton transfer, internal resistance and so on,
are not limiting factors. In these studies, a single-cathode type MFC (SCMFC) and dual-cathode type MFC
(DCMFC) were used to ascertain the current’s improvement through an increase in the contact area between
the anode and the cathode compartments, because the cathode reaction is one of the most serious limiting factors
in an MFC. Also an MFC was conducted to explore whether an improvement in electricity generation
resulted from oxidizing the carbon sources and nitrates. About 250 mg L-1 sodium acetate was fed to an anode
compartment with a flow rate of 0.326 mL min-1 by continuous mode. The current generated from the
DCMFC was higher than the value produced from MFC with a single cathode. COD removal of dual-cathode
MFC was also higher than that of single-cathode MFC. The nitrate didn’t affect current generation at 2 mM,
but when 4 and 8 mM nitrate was supplied, the current in the single-cathode and dual-cathode MFC was
decreased by 98% from 5.97±0.13 to 0.23±0.03 mA and 8.40±0.23 to 0.20±0.01 mA, respectively. These
results demonstrate that increasing of contact area of the anode and cathode can raise current generation by an
improvement in the cathode reaction.