Lead ions removal from aqueous solution in a novel bioelectrochemical system with a stainless steel cathode

Heavy metal pollution, especially lead pollution in water, has been a growing concern due to the toxicity of lead to human and other beings. According to previous reports, bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) showed significant advantages in heavy metal ions removal, but have not been considered for Pb2+ removal. In this study, a novel BES with stainless steel cathode distinguished with traditional BESs was employed with mixed culture as biocatalyst for removing Pb2+ from solution. The results indicated Pb2+ could be effectively removed and hydrocerussite as the final product confirmed by X-ray diffraction was deposited on the stainless steel cathode. Furthermore, the principle of Pb2+ removal was deduced based on the experiment of the reduction of ferricyanide in the stainless steel tube-type BES. In brief, we suggested a novel low-cost approach to remove and recover Pb2+ from Pb2+-containing wastewater.