Scaling-up of microbial electrosynthesis with multiple electrodes for in situ production of hydrogen peroxide

Microbial electrosynthesis system (MES) has recently been shown to be a promising alternative way for realizing in situ and energy-saving synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)). Although promising, the scaling-up feasibility of such a process is rarely reported. In this study, a 20-L up-scaled two-chamber MES reactor was developed and investigated for in situ and efficient H(2)O(2) electrosynthesis. Maximum H(2)O(2) production rate of 10.82 mg L(−1) h(−1) and cumulative H(2)O(2) concentration of 454.44 mg L(−1) within 42 h were obtained with an input voltage of 0.6 V, cathodic aeration velocity of 0.045 mL min(−1) mL(−1), 50 mM Na(2)SO(4), and initial pH 3. The electrical energy consumption regarding direct input voltage was only 0.239 kWh kg(−1) H(2)O(2), which was further much lower compared with laboratory-scale systems. The obtained results suggested that the future industrialization of MES technology for in situ synthesis of H(2)O(2) and further application in environmental remediation have broad prospects.