Electrochemical characterization of a microbial electrolysis cell during the bio-electrochemical conversion of CO2 to CH4

This study aims to assess the electrochemical performance of a Microbial Electrolysis Cell while bioelectrochemically converting CO2 to CH4 in the cathode and treating synthetic wastewater in the anode. The results indicate that CO2 is converted with a rate of 0.15 mmol/(gCOD_consumed*d). The COD consumption was 75% and the average produced current 0.04 mA/m(2). This corresponds to an initial power density of 180 mW/m(2) and a mean CH4 production of 1.6 mL/d. The electrochemical analyses indicated that charge transfer resistance and sluggish reaction kinetics are the main sources of energy losses, accounting for > 85% of the total resistance.