Two sets of dual-chamber H-type bottles (Adams & Chittenden Scientific Glass, Berkeley, CA, USA), were used to construct the MFCs (see Figure 1 ).
Anode and cathode electrodes were made of carbon cloth 2.5 × 5 cm (projected area of 25 cm2) with a volume of 300 mL for each chamber. The cathode contained a Pt catalyst (0.5 mg/cm2 10% Pt on Carbon Cloth Electrode) to improve cathode performance, whilst the anode is plain carbon cloth. Both electrodes were connected with a titanium wire (0.5 mm, purity > 99.98%, Alfa Aesar, Heysham, UK). A Nafion membrane (Nafion 117#, Sigma Aldrich, London, UK) was placed in the middle of the anode and the cathode. The membrane was pre-treated by boiling in H2O2 (30%) and deionized water, followed by 0.5 M H2SO4 and deionized water, each for 1 h, and thereafter it was stored in deionized water prior to being used. The MFCs were maintained at 20 °C in a temperature controlled room.
Anode and cathode electrodes were made of carbon cloth 2.5 × 5 cm (projected area of 25 cm2) with a volume of 300 mL for each chamber. The cathode contained a Pt catalyst (0.5 mg/cm2 10% Pt on Carbon Cloth Electrode) to improve cathode performance, whilst the anode is plain carbon cloth. Both electrodes were connected with a titanium wire (0.5 mm, purity > 99.98%, Alfa Aesar, Heysham, UK). A Nafion membrane (Nafion 117#, Sigma Aldrich, London, UK) was placed in the middle of the anode and the cathode. The membrane was pre-treated by boiling in H2O2 (30%) and deionized water, followed by 0.5 M H2SO4 and deionized water, each for 1 h, and thereafter it was stored in deionized water prior to being used. The MFCs were maintained at 20 °C in a temperature controlled room.