EGU21-9800, updated on 04 Mar 2021
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-9800
EGU General Assembly 2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Low-cost biosensors for continuous performance assessment of natural-based wastewater treatment systems

Marta Fernandez-Gatell1,2, Xavier Sanchez-Vila2,3, and Jaume Puigagut1
Marta Fernandez-Gatell et al.
  • 1GEMMA - Environmental Engineering and Microbiology Research Group, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya·BarcelonaTech, C/ Jordi Girona 1-3, Building D1, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
  • 2Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Jordi Girona 1-3, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
  • 3Associated Unit: Hydrogeology Group (UPC-CSIC), Spain

Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) are devices that transform the chemical energy of organic and inorganic substrates into an electric current. BES represents a particularly interesting biosensor technology for monitoring the performance of  remote/isolated wastewater treatment facilities (such as constructed wetlands). The work presented here aimed to assess the potential use of the electric signal produced by low-cost, membrane-less BES systems as an indicator of the operational conditions and treatment performance of natural-based wastewater treatment systems. For this purpose, several BES configurations and operation modes working under real domestic wastewater conditions were monitored.

Results showed that the electric current produced by the BES significantly correlates with key parameters in biological-based wastewater treatment systems such as microbial activity and biomass, water COD or solids accumulation. Therefore, our work demonstrates the feasibility of applying bioelectrochemical-based low-cost biosensors for the improvement and control of natural-based wastewater treatment systems.

 

 

Keywords: bioelectrochemical systems, wastewater, microbial activity, organic matter, low-cost, biosensor

How to cite: Fernandez-Gatell, M., Sanchez-Vila, X., and Puigagut, J.: Low-cost biosensors for continuous performance assessment of natural-based wastewater treatment systems, EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-9800, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-9800, 2021.

Corresponding displays formerly uploaded have been withdrawn.