Sustainable power generation from wastewater sources using Microbial Fuel Cell

• Published in: Biofuels, bioproducts and biorefining bioproducts and biorefining, 2018-07, Vol.12 (4), p.559-576
• Main Authors: Bose, Debajyoti, Gopinath, Margavelu, Vijay, Parthasarthy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anaerobic digestion; Anaerobic treatment; Biochemical fuel cells; Bioelectricity; Carbon dioxide; Carbon dioxide emissions; Cell culture; Chemical oxygen demand; concentration; Domestic wastewater; Economic conditions; Electric power generation; electrodes; Energy; Energy recovery; Energy security; Energy utilization; Fuel technology; Impact analysis; Kinetics; microbes; microbial fuel cell; Microorganisms; Monod kinetics; Nuclear fuels; Optimization; Organic chemistry; Reaction kinetics; Reactors; Recovery; Removal; Security; Stability; Substrates; Sustainable energy; Wastewater; Wastewater treatment; Water treatment
• ISSN: 1932-104X; 1932-1031
• DOI: 10.1002/bbb.1892

Microbial fuel‐cell performance depends primarily on five factors: the nature of the electrodes, pH, concentration, temperature, and period of operation. The present work describes work on optimization that has resulted in improved system performance of processes for energy recovery from wastewater by addressing these five parameters. This optimization is related to Monod kinetics, which forms the basis for microbial growth and substrate depletion rate. A difference in energy recovery from wastewater sources has been reported for studies with pure microbial culture and with undefined mixed microbes. Energy utilization research with microbial reactors has grown significantly with varying electrogenic reactor configurations, reductions in material costs, and a global need for power with reduced net CO2 emissions. The potential for future developments of these electrogenic reactor systems is also discussed, including how these systems can be integrated with existing wastewater treatment sources such as anaerobic digesters, and the positive impact they can have on energy security, which is linked with economic stability. Treatment of industrial and domestic wastewater using the microbial reserves can contribute significantly to advancing wastewater treatment infrastructure through effective COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) removal, and in the process generate value‐added product in the form of bioelectricity. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd