TREATMENT OF WASTEWATER AND ELECTRICITY GENERATION USING MICROBIAL FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY

B.G.Mahendra, Shridhar Mahavarkar

Abstract: The need for alternate eco-friendly fuel is increasing rapidly with the depletion of non-renewable energy resources. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) represent a new form of renewable energy, which converts organic matter into electricity with the help of bacteria present in wastewater, while simultaneously treating the wastewater. In the present study single chamber (MFC-1) and double chambered (MFC-2) MFCs were compared for domestic and dairy wastewater treatment and electricity generation. MFC-1 was proved to be more efficient and found to be producing maximum current of 0.84 mA and 1.02mA whereas MFC-2 produced maximum current of 0.56mA and 0.58mA from full strength (100%) domestic and dairy wastewater concentrations respectively. COD removal efficiency achieved in MFC-2 was 88.4% and 86.42% for 100% domestic and dairy wastewater concentrations respectively when compared with MFC-1 which attained 86.6% and 84.8% respectively for 100% domestic and dairy wastewater concentrations respectively. The performance of MFC-1 and MFC-2 decreased, when the wastewater concentration was decreased from 100% to 75% and 50% concentrations

Keywords: Microbial Fuel cell, bioelectricity, wastewater, salt bridge, air cathode

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2013.0213050