Bioelectricity generation using two chamber microbial fuel cell treating wastewater from food processing

Electricity generation from microbial fuel cells which treat food processing wastewater was investigated in this study. Anaerobic anode and aerobic cathode chambers were separated by a proton exchange membrane in a two-compartment MFC reactor. Buffer solutions and food industry wastewater were used as electrolytes in the anode and cathode chambers, respectively. The produced voltage and current intensity were measured using a digital multimeter. Effluents from the anode compartment were tested for COD, BOD₅, NH₃, P, TSS, VSS, SO₄ and alkalinity. The maximum current density and power production were measured 527 mA/m² and 230 mW/m² in the anode area, respectively, at operation organic loading (OLR) of 0.364 g COD/l.d. At OLR of 0.182 g COD/l.d, maximum voltage and columbic efficiency production were recorded 0.475 V and 21%, respectively. Maximum removal efficiency of COD, BOD₅, NH₃, P, TSS, VSS, SO₄ and alkalinity were 86, 79, 73, 18, 68, 62, 30 and 58%, respectively. The results indicated that catalysts and mediator-less microbial fuel cells (CAML-MFC) can be considered as a better choice for simple and complete energy conversion from the wastewater of such industries and also this could be considered as a new method to offset wastewater treatment plant operating costs.