Ricerc@Sapienza

In this paper, a bioelectrochemical process has been developed by the combination of two membrane-less reactors equipped with an internal graphite granules counterelectrode for the perchloroethylene (PCE) removal through a reductive/oxidative sequence. In the reductive reactor, the cathodic chamber supplied the reducing power to PCE dechlorinating biomass while a rutile electrode promoted the aerobic dechlorination of the less chlorinated PCE byproducts by oxygen in situ evolution.

An innovative bioelectrochemical reductive/oxidative sequential process was developed and tested on a laboratory scale to obtain the complete mineralization of perchloroethylene (PCE) in a synthetic medium. The sequential bioelectrochemical process consisted of two separate tubular bioelectrochemical reactors that adopted a novel reactor configuration, avoiding the use of an ion exchange membrane to separate the anodic and cathodic chamber and reducing the cost of the reactor.