Decolorization of anthraquinone dye (Reactive Blue 4) in the microbial fuel cell by <i>Baker’s yeast</i> : process optimization

The release of anthraquinone dyes in aquatic sources has a huge impact on the environment because of their turbidity, toxicity, mutagenicity, and carcinogenicity effects. Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) is a hopeful technology for the decolorization of dyes. The goal of the present study is the decolorization of Reactive Blue 4 (RB4) as an anthraquinone dye from an aqueous solution by Baker's yeast in MFC. The selection of three parameters (dye concentration, glucose concentration, and airflow rate) and optimization of dye decolorization and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal are performed using response surface methodology (RSM). The results demonstrated that the interaction between parameters does not affect the dye decolorization efficiency, whereas the interaction between dye concentration and glucose concentration was found to be significant for COD removal. Accordingly, the optimum conditions for maximum dye decolorization and COD removal were obtained at a dye concentration of 50 mgL−1, a glucose concentration of 1 gL−1, and an airflow rate of 10 mLmin−1.