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

• MFC used in present study is of two-compartment type that was separated by PEM.
• Effluent from the anode compartment was tested for COD, BOD5, NH3, P, TSS, VSS, etc.
• The maximum current density and power production were measured 527 mA/m2 and 230 mW/m2.
• The maximum removal efficiency of TSS, VSS, SO4 and ALK was 68, 62, 30 and 58, respectively.
• The maximum removal efficiency of COD, BOD5, NH3, P was 86, 79, 73, 18%, respectively.

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.