The Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering is hosting a seminar presented by Abdelrhman Mohamed, Ph.D. Student, Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Mar. 19, at 4:10 p.m. in ADBF 1002/FLOYD 256 (Tri-Cities).
Abdelrhman Mohamed received a Bachelor of Science degree in bioengineering from Washington State University in 2014. As an undergraduate student, he participated in undergraduate research in the biofilm engineering research group under the supervision of Dr. Haluk Beyenal. His research focused on the control of microbial electrosynthesis, and on the energy harvesting strategies of sediment microbial fuel cells. Abdelrhman continued his research in the biofilm engineering research group as a Ph.D. student starting 2014, where his research focuses on electrochemically-active biofilm, scale up of electrochemically active biofilms, electrochemical treatment of wastewater, control of medical biofilm infections, and electrochemical instrumentation.
Electrochemically Active Biofilms: Scale-up, Instrumentation, and Applications in Wastewater Treatment
Microbial life is supported by the electron transfer from electron donors to electron acceptors in a cascade of chemical reactions which release energy that is used by microorganisms. Electron donors and acceptors are typically dissolved chemical substances. Electrochemically active biofilms are biofilms that can exchange electrons with solid inert electrodes or minerals, thereby using them as a solid electron donor or electron acceptor. Anodic and cathodic electrochemically active biofilms are used in microbial fuel cells to generate power. In the past decade, microbial fuel cells have been investigated for application in powering remote sensors, and in wastewater treatment. However, these systems have not been extended to large scale applications because lack of fundamental knowledge in scale up. This presentation will focus on 1) the factors and limitations controlling the scaleup of anodic and cathodic electrochemically active biofilms, 2) instrumentation used for the control and enrichment of electrochemically active biofilms, and 3) demonstrating the performance of a large scale microbial fuel cell system for wastewater treatment.
