Sustainable power production from petrochemical industrial effluent using dual chambered microbial fuel cell

• Published in: Journal of environmental management 2024-02, Vol.351, p.119777-119777, Article 119777
• Main Authors: Tamilarasan, K., Shabarish, S., Rajesh Banu, J., Godvin Sharmila, V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bioelectric Energy Sources; Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; chemical oxygen demand; Coulombic efficiency; Current density; Electricity; electricity generation; Electrodes; industrial effluents; industrial wastewater; Microbial fuel cell; microbial fuel cells; organic compounds; Organic load; oxygen; Petrochemical industrial wastewater; Power density; power generation; Total chemical oxygen demand; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; Wastewater; wastewater treatment; Water Purification - methods
• ISSN: 0301-4797; 1095-8630
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119777

Dual chambered microbial fuel cell (DMFC) is an advanced and effective treatment technology in wastewater treatment. The current work has made an effort to treat petrochemical industrial wastewater (PWW) as a DMFC substrate for power generation and organic substance removal. Investigating the impact of organic load (OL) on organic reduction and electricity generation is the main objective of this study. At the OL of 1.5 g COD/L, the highest total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) removal efficiency of 88%, soluble oxygen demand (SCOD) removal efficiency of 80% and total suspended solids (TSS) removal efficiency of 71% were seen, respectively. In the same optimum condition of 1.5 g COD/L, the highest current and power density of about 270 mW/m2 and 376 mA/m2 were also observed. According to the results of this study, using high-strength organic wastewater in DMFC can assist in addressing the issue of the petrochemical industries and minimize the energy demand. •Petrochemical industrial wastewater (PWW) was treated using a dual chambered MFC.•88% of TCOD removal efficiency was obtained after treatment.•75% of phenol and 71% of sulphide was removed during this treatment.•Maximum power density of 270 mW/m2 and current density of 376 mA/m2 was obtained.•Dual chambered MFC was a sustainable technique to produce energy from PWW.