Effect of sulfonamides on the electricity generation by Shewanella putrefaciens in microbial fuel cells

Abstract

Overuse of antibiotics impacts environmental health worldwide. In this paper, the effect on the performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) under treatments with sulfonamides (SAs) was investigated. The results showed that when MCFs were treated with sulfamonomethoxine (SMM), the maximum power density was higher (20.95 mW/m 2) than when treated with sulfadiazine (SDZ) (19.79 mW/m 2). The power density of MFCs gradually decreased with increased concentration of SAs. Microbial activity analysis showed that SAs had negative effects on bacterial growth, riboflavin secretion and cell attachment on the MFCs anode. The power density of MFCs at different pH values was in order as follows: pH 6 > pH 7 > pH 8 > pH 5 > pH 9, where the highest was 22.90 mW/m 2 at pH 6. Electrochemical analysis showed that conditions favorable to the protonation of SMM also had a positive effect on the electrical performance of MFCs. These findings could provide the basis for uncovering the mechanism by which SAs affect electricity generation in MFCs, and demonstrates the feasibility for the efficient degradation of SAs and power generation.