Microbial fuel cell for harvesting bio-energy from tannery effluent using metal mixed biochar electrodes

Abstract

The present study aims on the ways and means of reducing the cost of electrodes and decreasing environment pollution using waste materials. For example, Coconut Shell (CS) materials were used for synthesizing electrodes through carbonization and testing it as the anode in the Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) utilizing tannery effluent. The electrodes were synthesized by using activated coconut shell wastes blended with various metals such as Silicon (Si0.2), Zinc (Zn0.2), and Copper (Cu0.2) with 20%. The specific surface area of CS-Si0.2 (0.1825 m2 g−1), CS-Zn0.2 (0.1900 m2 g−1), and CS-Cu0.2 (0.2162 m2 g−1) is greater than Graphite Particle (GP) (0.1890 m2 g−1). Power output of electrodes were CS-Si0.2 ((16.8 ± 0.5) mW m−2), CS-Zn0.2 ((22.96 ± 0.6) mW m−2), and CS-Cu0.2 ((38.72 ± 0.5) mW m−2) similar to GP ((30.42 ± 0.5) mW m−2). Our outcomes exhibit that the activated coconut shell with CS-Cu0.2 metal electrode gives the maximum power output. Therefore, CS-Cu0.2 electrodes are progressively viable, have greater biocompatibility, effective and adaptable for application in the microbial fuel cell. Among these three proposed electrodes, CS-Cu0.2 electrode has a huge potential for maximum performance and developing a cost-effective sustainable MFC.