Optimal temperature for microbes in an acetate fed microbial electrolysis cell (MEC)

Temperature is one of the important parameters which can significantly effect on the activity/selection of microorganism and subsequently on the reactor's performance. Two microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) were operated at different temperature settings with acetate as a carbon source. On average, COD removal rates of 16.8, 24.7, 34.0, 36.2 and 18.1mg/l/h were recorded at 25, 29, 30, 31 and 35°C, respectively. The results of volatile suspended solids analysis indicated that biomass concentration continued to drop at all temperatures, but the drop was the lowest at 30°C. Consideration of biomass drop and specific COD removal rate showed 31°C as the optimum temperature. These significant results imply that effect of temperature and change in biomass concentration should be considered in future experiments when expressing the removal rates.