Sodium Percarbonate as Naturally Buffering Catholyte in Microbial Desalination Cell System

Abstract

Microbial Desalination Cell (MDC) is a remarkable solution to overcome Jakarta’s fresh water deficit which can also act as electricity producer. Catholyte pH increase has been an obstacle in MDC system for causing low power density and the use of buffer solution to overcome the problem is costly. The performance of sodium percarbonate (SP), with its bicarbonate buffering system, was examined as MDC catholyte in this research. SP concentration was varied to see its effect towards MDC performance. The maximum desalination performance (14,74% salt removal) was given at concentration of SP 0.05 M, while the highest average power density (2,8 mW/m2) was produced at concentration SP 0.1 M.

Keywords— buffer; catholyte; Microbial Desalination Cell; sodium percarbonate; pH