Microbial Fuel Cell Technology Research Articles

Development of a 3D-printed spongy electrode design for microbial fuel cell (MFC) using gyroid lattice

Microbial fuel cell technology addresses both issues in finding new ways to clean water systems while harnessing electricity. Several studies suggest that a single large-scale MFC is proven to be inefficient and expensive. Therefore, producing small-scale MFCs is focused on investigation to provide an efficient system and cost-effective approach. This study used 3D-printed MFCs using a spongy electrode design to produce a modern approach to modifying electrode capacity in energy generation. Furthermore, the study identifies the electrical conductivity of the spongy electrode by determining the voltage generated and power density by stacked MFCs in series, parallel, and hybrid configurations. The MFCs generate a maximum voltage of 633 mV and a current of 14.22 . One way to reduce the effects of voltage reversal in the MFC system is the application of hybrid connection circuits. Parallel-series hybrid connection possesses stable voltage generation of 250−300 𝑚𝑉 with the highest current generation of 115.20 𝜇𝐴. At the same time, the Series-Parallel Connection generates the highest voltage and current of 259 mV and 30 , respectively. The spongy electrode design and hybrid connection produced a maximum power and current density of 29.30 μW⁄m2 and 279.41 μA⁄m2 obtained from a different connection of pure parallel and 28P-2S hybrid connection. Furthermore, water quality parameters were examined (pH, TDS, ORP, and COD), that the MFCs design is efficient in wastewater treatment, with a %COD removal of 95.24% efficiency, reduced ORP from +48.00 mV to -7.00 mV, and the TDS concentration from 270 ppm to 239 ppm.

Performance of Dual Chamber Microbial Fuel Cells with Waste Water for Power Production and Treatment

Abstract: Dual-chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have garnered significant attention in recent years due to their promising potential for sustainable energy generation from organic waste. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the advancements, challenges, and future prospects of dual-chamber MFC technology. The paper begins with an introduction to the principles of microbial fuel cells and the rationale behind the dual-chamber configuration. It discusses the design considerations including electrode materials, membrane selection, and reactor configurations, highlighting recent innovations aimed at enhancing performance and scalability. Key advancements in dual-chamber MFCs are reviewed, focusing on improvements in power output, microbial community dynamics, and substrate utilization. Strategies such as microbial enrichment, biofilm engineering, and electrode modifications are discussed in detail, showcasing their impact on MFC performance and stability. Furthermore, the review explores the application of dual-chamber MFCs in various fields including wastewater treatment, bioenergy productions.

Optimization of Biogas Liquid Waste from Livestock Manure as a Source of Renewable Energy through Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) Technology

This study examines the potential of biogas liquid waste as a source of electrical energy through microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology. The results showed that biogas effluent in one-room MFC produced a maximum voltage of 1302.2 mV. In the two-room MFC with KMnO4 electrolyte, the voltage reached 1084.3 mV with an electric current of 0.1 mA. At the same time, the two-chamber MFC with K2Cr2O4 advanced a maximum voltage of 1675.8 mV and an electric current of 0.99 mA. Characterization of the MFC substrate showed a decrease in organic matter of biogas liquid waste, with C-organic content of 2.20%, total nitrogen of 1.85%, and C/N ratio of 1.19. The COD value decreased to 500.96 mg/L, while the BOD level decreased to 300.23 mg/L. Bacteria in MFC from biogas effluent are dominantly Gram-positive with rod and Sarcina forms, except for one Gram-negative isolate in the form of Spirillum.

Starch – carrageenan based low-cost membrane permeability characteristic and its application for yeast microbial fuel cells

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are an innovative method that generates sustainable electricity by exploiting the metabolic processes of microorganisms. The membrane that divides the anode and cathode chambers is an important component of MFCs. Commercially available membranes, such as Nafion, are both costly, not sustainable, and harmful to the environment. In this study, a low-cost alternative membrane for MFCs based on a starch-carrageenan blend (SCB-LCM) was synthesized. The SCB-LCM membrane was created by combining starch and carrageenan and demonstrated a high dehydration rate of 98.87 % over six hours. SEM analysis revealed a smooth surface morphology with no pores on the membrane surface. The performance of SCB-LCM membrane-based MFCs was evaluated and compared to that of other membranes, including Nafion 117 and Nafion 212. All membranes tested over 25 hours lost significant weight, with SCB-LCM losing the least. The maximum power density (MPD) of the SCB-LCM MFCs was 15.77 ± 4.34 mW/m2, indicating comparable performance to commercial membranes. Moreover, the cost-to-power ratio for MFCs employing SCB-LCM was the lowest (0.03 USD.m2/mW) when compared to other membranes, indicating that SCB-LCM might be a viable and cost-effective alternative to Nafion in MFCs. These SCB-LCM findings lay the groundwork for future research into low-cost and sustainable membrane for MFC technologies.

Oil Palm Biomass Sap-Rotten Rice as a Source to Remove Metal Ions and Generate Electricity as By-Products through Microbial Fuel Cell Technology

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a new and interesting technology that can be used to treat wastewater without using electricity. The current research focuses on electron generation, which is one of the technique’s major challenges. According to the latest literature, the study was planned to successfully remove the metals from artificial wastewater at high concentrations and generate electricity. On average, after 18 days of operation, it offered 610 mV with 1000 ῼ constant external resistance. The internal resistance was found to be 520 ῼ. The achieved power density was 3.164 mW/m2 at an external resistance of 1000 ῼ. The achieved removal efficiencies of Pb2+, Cd2+, Cr3+, and Ni2+ were 83.67%, 84.10%, 84.55%, and 95.99%, respectively. The operation lasted for 25 days. The cyclic voltameter studies show that there is a gradual oxidation rate of organic substances, while on day 25, the removal efficiency reached its maximum. The specific capacitance was found to be high between days 15 and 20, i.e., 0.0000540 F/g. It also indicated that biofilm was stable around day 18. Furthermore, the biological characterization also demonstrated that MFC operation was very smooth throughout the process, even at high concentrations (100 mg/L) of metal ions. Finally, there is the MFC method, as well as some new challenges and future recommendations.

Feeding a Membrane-less Microbial Fuel Cell by Mixed Municipal and Industrial Wastewater

Due to the constant growth of the world's population, the amount of generated wastewater is also constantly increasing. One of the devices that can use wastewater as a raw material for energy production is a microbial fuel cell (MFC). MFCs technology is constantly evolving. However, to increase its use, it is necessary to improve its efficiency. There are various possibilities to ensure this, such as the use of new electrode materials, new cell designs, or the use of wastewaters from different sources. In this paper the analysis of MFC operation (cell voltage, power, and current density) fed by mixed municipal and industrial wastewaters was shown. Moreover, the change in time of COD was analyzed. Due to cost reduction the membrane-less microbial fuel cell (ML-MFC) was chosen. It was noted that the addition of concentrated process wastewater increases the COD reduction time in the ML-MFC. An increase of generated bioelectricity during fed ML-MFC by mixed municipal and industrial (process wastewater from yeast production) wastewater was demonstrated. The highest values of average cell voltage (598 mV), maximum power (4.47 mW) and maximum current density (0.26 mA·cm-2) were obtained for a 10% share of yeast process wastewater in the mixed wastewater, which fed the ML-MFC.

Tailoring flow straighteners’ architectures through additive manufacturing to enhance power performance and scale-up microbial fuel cell technology

In an aim to scale up the microbial fuel cell (MFC), this research is a first attempt to investigate the impact of two lattice structures flow straighteners: gyroid and X lattice to compare with the conventional honeycomb flow straightener, fabricated via additive manufacturing. The study focused on assessing their effect on the degradation of domestic wastewater and power generation in a dual chamber recirculation MFC. Other than the geometry, structures were also tested at flow rates of 20 mL/min, 60 mL/min, and 100 mL/min. Our study found that MFC equipped with a gyroid structure flow straightener produced the highest power density of 2871.89mWm−2, followed by the X lattice flow straightener of 2626.56 mWm−2 and 2096.03 mWm−2 with honeycomb flow straightener. ANSYS simulations revealed that this increased power density is attributed to the enhanced mixing of wastewater. Traditional honeycomb-based flow straighteners showed straight streamlines, causing bacteria to settle and leading to lower output voltage. The novel X lattice and gyroid lattice designs ensured uniform substrate mixing, addressing the issue of substrate settling and consequently boosting the MFC's power performance. An optimized flow rate of 60 mL/min yielded the best output. Overall, this study successfully introduced two novel lattice structures for flow straighteners, demonstrating their potential in enhancing power performance and the scalability of this technology when produced using additive manufacturing.

An overview of agro-industrial wastewater treatment using microbial fuel cells: Recent advancements

Discharge of agro-industrial wastewater causes severe damage to the environment due to the various hazardous components it contains. Progressive circular agriculture and industry involve closed cycles and zero-waste principles; therefore, waste treatment for subsequent reuse is of great interest. The microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a promising sustainable technology capable of treating wastewater at low cost without greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while simultaneously producing electricity. The principle behind MFCs is based on the conversion of chemical energy into electricity using electrochemically active bacteria (EAB) as a biocatalyst. This article presents an overview of the progress and recent advancements in MFCs as a pivotal technology for agro-industrial wastewater treatment with production of sustainable electricity, compared to conventional treatment processes. Furthermore, the fundamental aspects of the design, configuration, operation, and application of MFCs in wastewater treatment (i.e., removal of inorganic nutrients, nitrate, phosphate, sulfate, sulfide, ammonium, organics, dyes, carbohydrates, fatty acids, and petroleum) are comprehensively discussed. Despite the viability and potential of MFCs in treating agro-industrial wastewater and producing electricity, they face various limitations and significant challenges, which are highlighted in this review. Future opportunities and perspectives on MFC applications are also discussed. Further research is required to address MFC limitations, which could make them feasible and practicable for real-world applications. However, MFC technology is clearly an excellent option for simultaneous wastewater treatment and electricity production without the need for external energy sources.

A review of microbial fuel cell and its diversification in the development of green energy technology

The advancement of microbial fuel cell technology is rapidly growing, with extensive research and well-established methodologies for enhancing structural performance. This terminology attracts researchers to compare the MFC devices on a technological basis. The architectural and scientific successes of MFCs are only possible with the knowledge of engineering and technical fields. This involves the structure of MFCs, using substrates and architectural backbones regarding electrode advancement, separators and system parameter measures. Knowing about the MFCs facilitates the systematic knowledge of engineering and scientific principles. The current situation of rapid urbanization and industrial growth is demanding the augmented engineering goods and production which results in unsolicited burden on traditional wastewater treatment plants. Consequently, posing health hazards and disturbing aquatic veracity due to partial and untreated wastewater. Therefore, it's sensible to evaluate the performance of MFCs as an unconventional treatment method over conventional one to treat the wastewater. However, MFCs some benefits like power generation, stumpy carbon emission and wastewater treatment are the main reasons behind the implementation. Nonetheless, few challenges like low power generation, scaling up are still the major areas needs to be focused so as to make MFCs sustainable one. We have focused on few archetypes which majorities have been laboratory scale in operations. To ensure the efficiency MFCs are needed to integrate and compatible with conventional wastewater treatment schemes. This review intended to explore the diversification in architecture of MFCs, exploration of MFCs ingredients and to provide the foreseen platform for the researchers in one source, so as to establish the channel for scaling up the technology. Further, the present review show that the MFC with different polymer membranes and cathode and anode modification presents significant role for potential commercial applications after change the system form prototype to pilot scale.

Anode biomass rather than soluble organic matter is fuel for electricity production in microbial fuel cell at longer hydraulic retention time

This study presents a novel method for independently calculating organic matter (OM) removal and electricity generation in a microbial fuel cell (MFC) treating sewage. This methodology used OM concentration as the exclusive variable for input, facilitating the prediction of electricity generation with variable Coulombic efficiency. The employed MFC, of tubular design, incorporates an air core surrounded by a carbon-based cathode, an anion exchange membrane, nonwoven graphite fabric, and encircled by twelve carbon brush anodes. This setup successfully reduced chemical oxygen demand (COD) from 180 to 50 mg L−1 and biological oxygen demand (BOD) from 84 to 15 mg L−1 within a 35 h hydraulic retention time (HRT). The resulting effluent BOD satisfies Japanese wastewater treatment standards. In the early HRT phase, the MFC exhibited rapid OM reduction, followed by a stabilization of OM concentration. Despite varying HRTs and the sustained OM levels at prolonged HRTs, the MFC consistently generated 0.29 ± 0.14 A m−2. This apparent contradiction prompted the consideration of additional OM sources from the anode biomass (Cb). Calculating electricity production based on OM concentration rather than OM degradation was achieved by assessing anode resistance (RAn) across different levels of OM supplementation, employing the Butler–Volmer equation. This approach, incorporating considerations for Cb and RAn, accurately reproduced MFC performance. It was observed that OM supplementation from Cb constituted 50% at 11 h HRT and escalated to 90% at 27 h HRT. Further analysis, including 16S rRNA gene-based microbial community profiling, indicated that higher cathode resistance (RCat) at 1.0 Ω m2, compared to a minimum RAn of 0.10 Ω m2, favored methanogenesis over electrogenesis on the carbon brushes. This finding underscores the importance of reducing RCat and minimizing electrode distance, coupled with enhancing the specific surface area of both electrodes, as crucial factors for the advancement of MFC technology.

A concise review on wastewater treatment through microbial fuel cell: sustainable and holistic approach.

Research for alternative sources for producing renewable energy is rising exponentially, and consequently, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) can be seen as a promising approach for sustainable energy production and wastewater purification. In recent years, MFC is widely utilized for wastewater treatment in which the removal efficiency of heavy metal ranges from 75-95%. They are considered as green and sustainable technology that contributes to environmental safety by reducing the demand for fossil fuels, diminishes carbon emissions, and reverses the trend of global warming. Moreover, significant reduction potential can be seen for other parameters such as total carbon oxygen demand (TCOD), soluble carbon oxygen demand (SCOD), total suspended solids (TSS), and total nitrogen (TN). Furthermore, certain problems like economic aspects, model and design of MFCs, type of electrode material, electrode cost, and concept of electro-microbiology limit the commercialization of MFC technology. As a result, MFC has never been accepted as an appreciable competitor in the area of treating wastewater or renewable energy. Therefore, more efforts are still required to develop a useful model for generating safe, clean, and CO2 emission-free renewable energy along with wastewater treatment. The purpose of this review is to provide a deep understanding of the working mechanism and design of MFC technology responsible for the removal of different pollutants from wastewater and generate power density. Existing studies related to the implementation of MFC technology in the wastewater treatment process along with the factors affecting its functioning and power outcomes have also been highlighted.

The effect of ammonia concentration on the treatment of bio electrochemical leachate using MFCs technology.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have garnered attention in bio-electrochemical leachate treatment systems. The most common forms of inorganic ammonia nitrogen are ammonium ([Formula: see text]) and free ammonia. Anaerobic digestion can be inhibited in both direct (changes in environmental conditions, such as fluctuations in temperature or pH, can indirectly hinder microbial activity and the efficiency of the digestion process) and indirect (inadequate nutrient levels, or other conditions that indirectly compromise the microbial community's ability to carry out anaerobic digestion effectively) ways by both kinds. The performance of a double-chamber MFC system-composed of an anodic chamber, a cathode chamber with fixed biofilm carriers (carbon felt material), and a Nafion 117 exchange membrane is examined in this work to determine the impact of ammonium nitrogen ([Formula: see text]) inhibition. MFCs may hold up to 100mL of fluid. Therefore, the bacteria involved were analysed using 16S rRNA. At room temperature, with a concentration of 800mg L-1 of ammonium nitrogen and 13,225mg L-1 of chemical oxygen demand (COD), the study produced a considerable power density of 234 mWm-3. It was found that [Formula: see text] concentrations above 800mg L-1 have an inhibitory influence on power output and treatment effectiveness. Multiple routes removed the most nitrogen ([Formula: see text]-N: 87.11 ± 0.7%, NO2 -N: 93.17 ± 0.2% and TN: 75.24 ± 0.3%). Results from sequencing indicate that the anode is home to a rich microbial community, with anammox (6%), denitrifying (6.4%), and electrogenic bacteria (18.2%) making up the bulk of the population. Microbial fuel cells can efficiently and cost-effectively execute anammox, a green nitrogen removal process, in landfill leachate.

Unraveling the contemporary use of microbial fuel cell in pesticide degradation and simultaneous electricity generation: a review.

Pesticide is an inevitable substance used worldwide to kill pests, but their indiscriminate use has posed serious complications to health and the environment. Various physical, chemical, and biological methods are employed for pesticide treatment, but this paper deals with microbial fuel cell (MFC) as a futuristic technology for pesticide degradation with electricity production. In MFC, organic compounds are utilized as the carbon source for electricity production and the generation of electrons which can be replaced with pollutants such as dyes, antibiotics, and pesticides as carbon sources. However, MFC is been widely studied for a decade for electricity production, but its implementation in pesticide degradation is less known. We fill this void by depicting a real picture of the global pesticide scenario with an eagle eye view of the bioremediation techniques implemented for pesticide treatment with phytoremediation and rhizoremediation as effective techniques for efficient pesticide removal. The enormous literature survey has revealed that not many researchers have ventured into this new arena of MFC employed for pesticide degradation. Based on the Scopus database, an increase in annual trend from 2014 to 2023 is observed for MFC-implemented pesticide remediation. However, a novel MFC to date for effective remediation of pesticides with simultaneous electricity generation is discussed for the first time. Furthermore, the limitation of MFC technology and the implementation of MFC and rhizoremediation as a clubbed system which is the least applied can be seen as promising and futuristic approaches to enhance pesticide degradation by bacteria and electricity as a by-product.

Review of microbial fuel cell from a techno-economic perspective

This review presents a techno-economic analysis of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) in the domain of generating sustainable energy and treating wastewater with the aim of attracting investors through research and development for residential and commercial applications. The operation principles and various MFC types, along with their advantages and disadvantages, are thoroughly considered. The efficiency of various MFC types is considered to present appropriate options for commercial applications. However, large-scale integrations face substantial financial limitations owing to the reluctance of investors. This review explores the cost-benefit balance associated with the operation of an MFC system. For encouraging investors, different cost variables, such as the initial investment, operating costs, potential electricity generation, and waste treatment capacity, are thoroughly considered. These variables are placed on the spectrum of a cost-benefit analysis to vitalize the economic feasibility of the MFC technology in various scenarios, considering an order of financial variables. MFC development at an optimized cost is the pivotal pre-requisite to secure a competitive advantage over conventional sources of energy with carbon emissions. Thus, this study is expected to prompt decision-makers to adopt the MFC technology at the commercial level.

Microbial Fuel Cell Using a Novel Ionic-Liquid-Type Membrane-Cathode Assembly with Heterotrophic Anodic Denitrification for Slurry Treatment

In this paper, microbial fuel cell technology with heterotrophic anodic denitrification, based on a new membrane-cathode assembly, was tested for slurry treatment and bioenergy production. Slurry is used due to its high chemical oxygen demand and a high content of nutrient compounds of nitrogen which can contaminate soil and water. The new membrane-cathode assembly systems were based on different ammonium and phosphonium cations combined with chloride, bistriflimide, phosphate, and phosphinate anions and a non-noble catalyst composed of copper and cobalt mixed-valence oxides. The influence of ionic liquids on the catalytic membrane was studied. The best membrane-cathode assembly was based on the ionic liquid catalyst [MTOA+][Cl−]-CoCu which achieved 65% of the energy reached with the Pt-Nafion® system. The [MTOA+][Cl−]-CoCu system improved the water purification parameter, reducing the COD by up to 35%, the concentration of nitrates by up to 26%, and the organic nitrogen by up to 70% during the experiments. This novel membrane-cathode system allows for easier manufacturing, lower costs, and simpler catalysts than conventionally used in microbial fuel cells.

Photo/electrocatalytic microbial fuel cell for simultaneous pollutant degradation and electricity production using g-C3N4 anchored on Ag-mIm

The development of photo/electrocatalysts is an idea to simultaneously enhance power generation and pollutant degradation in a microbial fuel cell (MFC), which may improve its efficiency. Herein, a unique approach was taken to enhance the degradation efficiency of methylene blue (MB) by using a photo-assisted MFC technology with an Ag-2-methyl imidazole (mIm)/g-C3N4 photocathode. Various physicochemical analyses were implemented to confirm the successful synthesis of the prepared samples. From the electrochemical analysis, the high current density (0.1 mA cm2) and the low charge transfer resistance were recorded for Ag-mIm/0.01 g-C3N4 under light irradiation, which is more favorable for pollutants removal. Further investigation of the photo-assisted MFC with Ag-mIm/0.01 g-C3N4 modified cathode revealed the maximum power density of 45.37 mW m2 under the light irradiation, which was 1.8 times higher compared with the dark state. The study demonstrated that the degradation efficiency of MB under light can achieve up to 69%, with an initial concentration of 30 mg L−1, after 72 h. This research suggested a promising process for further usage of MFCs in wastewater treatment.

Effects of the anionactive surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate on the adhesion of cells of the strain <i>Micrococcus luteus</i> 1-i to the surface of carbon materials

The adhesion of microorganisms on various surfaces plays a crucial role in many biotechnological processes. A widespread component of wastewater is the anion-active surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Surfactants have a significant influence on all interfacial reactions, including those occurring in microbial fuel-cell technology. The work set out to study the effect of sodium dodecyl sulfate on the sorption of cells of the Micrococcus luteus 1 strain (which has electrogenic activity in microbial fuel cells) on the surface of various carbon-containing electrode materials used in biological fuel cell technology: 1) carbon tissue; 2) carbon felt; 3) crushed graphite contact trolleybus inserts (summer); 4) birch activated carbon. Using spectrophotometry and microscopy methods, the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate in the concentration range of 10–200 mg/l was shown to increase the sorption of Micrococcus luteus 1-i cells on the surfaces of the tested carbon materials under experimental conditions. The maximum increase in sorption during 2 hours of exposure was detected when 100 mg/l of this surfactant was applied: for birch activated carbon – 21%; for carbon fabric – 26%; for carbon felt relative to the control (without surfactant) – 24%. The results demonstrate a sufficiently effective adhesion of Micrococcus luteus 1-i cells to various carbon materials, including in the presence of fairly high concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulfate, confirming the prospects of this strain for use in various types of microbial fuel cells.

Cost benefit analysis of integrated constructed wetland microbial fuel cell system for sustainable and economic domestic wastewater treatment

Wastewater treatment with integrated constructed wetland–microbial fuel cell technology has attracted serious attention from researchers. The economic sustainability of any potential technology is the key to its commercialization from laboratory to field application, which is fulfilled through an exhaustive assessment of the related costs and benefits. This article presents a comparative cost-benefit analysis of three reactors: constructed wetland (R1), integrated CW-MFC (R2), and unplanted CW-MFC (R3) for domestic wastewater treatment and economic sustainability assessment. The study was conducted with 36 h and 24 h hydraulic retention times of the reactors and the respective cost-benefit ratio was determined. Results revealed that R2 was the most sustainable option with maximum economic benefits during Phase 1 and Phase 2 without effluent disinfection. With effluent disinfection in place, R1 emerged with the best cost-benefit ratio due to less investment cost and low revenue from electricity production in R2 and R3. Sensitivity analysis with net investment cost, power density, electrode area, effective reactor volume, and hydraulic retention time; showed power density was the most influential parameter affecting the cost-benefit ratio. Revenue from wastewater treatment was found essential for economic sustainability which shows the importance of producing high-quality effluent and greater power density to make CW-MFC technology economically attractive.

Integrating Microbial Fuel Cell and Hydroponic Technologies Using a Ceramic Membrane Separator to Develop an Energy-Water-Food Supply System.

In this study, a microbial fuel cell was integrated into a hydroponic system (MFC-Hyp) using a ceramic membrane as a separator. The MFC-Hyp is a passive system that allows the transport of nutrients from wastewater in the microbial fuel cell (MFC) to water in the hydroponic vessel (Hyp) through a ceramic membrane separator, with no external energy input. The performance of this system was examined using potato-process wastewater as a source of energy and nutrients (K, P, N) and garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) as a hydroponic plant. The results showed that based on dry weight, the leaves of Allium tuberosum grew 142% more in the MFC-Hyp than those of the plant in the Hyp without the MFC, in a 49-day run. The mass fluxes of K, P, and NO3--N from the MFC to the Hyp through the ceramic membrane were 4.18 ± 0.70, 3.78 ± 1.90, and 2.04 ± 0.98 µg s-1m-2, respectively. It was apparent that the diffusion of nutrients from wastewater in the MFC enhanced the plant growth in the Hyp. The MFC-Hyp in the presence of A. tuberosum produced the maximum power density of 130.2 ± 45.4 mW m-2. The findings of this study suggest that the MFC-Hyp system has great potential to be a "carbon-neutral" technology that could be transformed into an important part of a diversified worldwide energy-water-food supply system.

Bioelectricity Generation from Bamboo Hydrolysate by Microbial Fuel Cells Using Pseudomonas Aeruginosa PR3 for Natural Resource Conservation

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a green technology that allows recovery of electricity from wastes, thus, it can be applied in environmental conservation, natural resource preservation and bioenergy production. As an attempt to efficiently utilize the increasing amount of bamboo wastes as an input for energy production, this study investigated the electricity generation efficiency of a dual-chamber MFC in sugar conversion into electricity using Pseudomonas aeruginosa PR3 and hydrolysates from the acid pretreatment of Bambusa stenostachya Hack.. MFCs were inoculated with PR3, acclimated with glucose then operated with bamboo hydrolysates containing different total reducing sugars as the anolytes. Total sugar consumption of the MFCs for electricity conversion varied from 76.25 to 96.30% after 48 hours of operation in bamboo hydrolysates. Results from electrochemical analysis showed that MFC with 9.0 g/L sugars from bamboo hydrolysates had better electricity production, with the maximum open-circuit voltage of 620 mV, current density of 1092.08 mA/m2 and power density of 91.16 mW/m2. Microbial communities in these MFCs could effectively recover electricity from up to 9.0 g/L reducing sugars in bamboo hydrolysates, preliminarily illustrating the applicability of the MFC technology in natural resource conservation as a way to produce alternative energy sources from the treatment of bamboo-processing wastes.