I.

Introduction
Background of the Study
Energy played an important role not only in human society but all life on Earth. Energy, as to humans, benefits us
economically, socially, and scientifically and will continue to do so to improve our needs. Energy can come in different forms but are
categorized in to two: Renewable Energy and Non-renewable energy. Renewables are those that Cn be replenish and can come in a
form of wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass while non-renewables are non-replenish and come in a form of fossil fuels
life coal, petroleum, and natural gas. So far non-renewable sources are the top producers of energy due to its abundance and cheap
prize, but it raised some concerns. As stated by Akella, Saini, & Sharma (2009), “conventional energy sources based on oil, coal, and
natural gas have proven to be highly effective drivers of economic progress, but at the same time damaging to the environment and to
human health from greenhouse gases that are produced from non-renewables.”
As a result people are now changing their sources from renewable energy due to its increasing popularity and advantages
to that of non-renewable energies. Two researchers explained that “to limit the environmental impact of greenhouse gasses, future energy
sources should be renewable and carbon neutral. This would include biomass products for energy generation such as growth plants and
crops, algae and organic wastes” (Gadjda, & Greenman, 2017). Such sources can be harvested especially in the case in rural areas as
describe by Dermibas and Dermibas (2007):
In rural areas, particularly in remote location, like dense forest and mountain ranges, transmission and distribution of energy
generated from fossil fuels can be difficult and expensive. Producing renewable energy locally can offer a viable alternative. Renewable
energy can facilitate economic and social development in communities but only if the projects are accurately designed and carefully
planned with local support and cooperation. Particularly in poor rural areas, the costs of renewable energy projects will absorb a significant
part of volunteer’s small incomes.
One interesting source in renewable energy is biomass. While still in a progress of improving its energy yield, it has been
fundamental to the development of civilization. Biomass provide a lot of benefits especially in agriculture as well as electricity and fuel
generation and these can be created from different methods, each with specific pros and con (McKendry, 2002).
From biomass, organic waste, which account a major portion of solid waste in developing countries over the last few
decades, are seen to have shown potential in renewable energy, but lacks maintenance and treatment for resource recovery (Gazali, &
Mosqud, 2017). Organic waste is define as any material that are biodegradable that originates from plant and animal remains. Eventually
they are broken down into smaller organic compounds to form more complex materials. Example of organic waste are garden waste,
kitchen waste, leftover foods, human waste, as well as paper. But fundamentally, organic waste are very important in composting which
are found in compost pit (“DoitYourself”, n.d)
Recently, great attentions have been paid to microbial fuel cells (MFCs) due to their mild operating conditions and using
variety of biodegradable substrates as fuel. This system can serve as a device for generating clean energy and, also wastewater
treatment unit. Besides the advantages of this technology, it still faces practical barriers such as low power and current density. (Mostafa,
Goreyshi, Najafpour, & Jafary, 2011) Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a device that converts chemical energy released as a result of oxidation
of complex organic carbon sources which are utilized as substrates by micro-organisms to produce electrical energy thereby proving to
be an efficient means of sustainable energy production. Although the efficiency of MFCs in power generation initially was low, recent
modifications in the design, components and working have enhanced the power output to a significant level thereby enabling application
of MFCs in various fields including wastewater treatment, biosensors and bioremediation (Tharali, Sain, & Osborne, 2016)
Together with composting where it is an aerobic process where organic materials are biologically decomposed, producing
mainly compost, carbon dioxide, water, and heat. Compost has been widely used as soil conditioners and soil fertilizers. This practice is
recommended, as soil fertility needs more than ever to be sustained. As energy demand is increasing rapidly, bionergy is seen as one
of the primary possibilities for preventing global warming he high cost of processing, rather than the cost or availability of biomass
feedstock. Thus, the challenge is to extend the amount of bioenergy that can be produced sustainably by using biowastes, such as
municipal, industrial, and construction waste as biomass feedstocks (Irvine, Lamont, & Ladislao-Antizar, 2010).
Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a new technology that can recover energy from biomass with simultaneous waste treatment.
This technique has been developed fast in recent years in combining with environmental techniques such as wastewater treatment,
degradation of toxic pollutants and desalination. Thus, with the increase of solid waste, applying MFC in composting is promising due to
its property of waste disposal with simultaneous energy generation (Cui, Wang, & Tang, 2012).
 Previous studies had conducted experiment where they use animal dung, and leaf mold (Gazali, & Mosqud, 2017) in
generating electricity from MFC. It proved that animal dungs and leaf mold as a variety of organic wastes contains large amounts of
nutrients and various other minerals. It can improve to be more valuable as a microbial fuel cell to generate green and safe electricity,
moreover, as an efficient, eco-friendly solution for organic waste management. This is a useful method of green and safe energy.
Therefore, bioelectricity can be produced using mixed samples of organic waste and soil.
Previous studies have also been using the potential for algal biomass production in conjunction with wastewater treatment
and power generation within a fully biotic Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) in which algae are grown in the MFC to create a continuous supply
of microbes to generate electricity (Gajda, et.al, 2017). However, no study about MFC in compost pit had been conducted yet.
Thus, a study of the generation of electricity from organic matter found in compost pit using Microbial Fuel Cell will be
conducted.
Research Question
Problem: Can organic matter found in compost pit can become a potential source of bioelectricity using Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC)?
Specific Questions:
1. What is the difference of the organic matter to wastewater in term of the effect in energy produced in the MFC?
2. What is the electrical output of the MFC in terms of Voltage and Current?
3. What is the comparison between the Solid part and the Liquid part of the compost pit in terms of its electrical outputs?
4. What is the power generated by the MFC during the experiment?

This part resents literature that are relevant and related to the study including some journals, articles, and research papers in order
to connect the relationship to the present study.
Bioelectricity production technology can be applied through various modes achieving different goals ranging from energy
production to biofuel production as well as bioremediation. Bioelectricity production from microbes can very well act as a sustainable source of
energy minimizing the utilization of fossil fuels resulting in green energy. Also, anaerobic digestion of waste products, pollutants and chemicals
can prove to be an effective way of maintaining environmental purity and production of renewable energy (Tharali et al., 2016)
The property production of biomass needs applicable policies to secure long support to boost crop productivity and
conjointly to confirm environmental as well as economic and social benefits of bioenergy cropping systems. Continuous support for cropping,
infrastructure, agricultural management and related policies is needed to foster positive synergies between food crops and bioenergy production.
Global climate and environmental changes regarding the utilization of fossil fuels and inequitable development create it unethical not to pursue
a lot of equitable energy development that includes bioenergy.
To realize sustainable development, aggressiveness and costs of bioenergy production ought to be self-addressed in a
very manner that considers not only economic gains but also development of local information and social and environmental benefits (Sousa
et al., 2017).
The importance of composting has grown in public consciousness in recent years, as it is eco-friendly, and a safe way to
make gardens flourish with beautiful veggies and healthy, flavorful fruits. The many reasons why composting is so essential are more deeply
understood these days, in part because of the many issues that are going on around the globe with our environment.
By composting, it will help reduce the amount of waste that is being directed into our landfills. This means a reduction of
concentrated, toxic leachates and methane gas that is being released into the atmosphere, which equates to a decrease in overall pollution.
Composting also cuts down on the usage of chemical fertilizers, which are harmful to water supply.
Composting also has a financial benefit such as their higher yields - compost improves soil structure and fertility and can
increase a crop’s yield potential, Fertilizer substitution – compost contains crop-available nutrients which will help save costs. Useful P and K
content can improve your soil indices and remove the need for additional fertilizers, Better water management – compost can prevent heavy
soils becoming water logged by increasing water infiltration. It will also help light soils hold on to water, making it available for crop growth
during dry periods, Fuel savings and traffic tolerance - compost improves soil structure, making it easier to work whilst using less fuel, Improving
soil structure will make it more resistant to compaction from traffic and will extend the conditions in which it can be worked, Full analysis –
Farmers or Landscapers can know exactly what they are getting in there compost to enable them to get the correct spread rates on their fields
for maximum benefit (“Compost in agriculture”, n.d)

A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through an electrochemical
reaction of hydrogen fuel with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. One type of FCs is microbial fuel cell (MFC) that uses an active microorganism
as a biocatalyst in an anaerobic anode compartment for production of bioelectricity. Although electrical current produced by bacteria was
observed by Potter in 1911, limited feasible results were acquired in this area by the next 50 years. However, in the early 1990s, FCs became
far more appealing devices; consequently, MFCs were considered as promising technology. Furthermore, research domain of MFCs turned
much vaster in 1999 once it was discovered that mediator was not a compulsory component within MFCs.
Approximately all MFCs consist of anode and cathode chambers, physically separated by a proton exchange membrane
(PEM). Active biocatalyst in the anode oxidizes the organic substrates and produces electrons and protons. The protons are conducted to the
cathode chamber through the PEM, and the electrons are conveyed through the external circuit. Protons and electrons are reacted in the
cathode chamber along with parallel reduction of oxygen to water. It is worth mentioning that active biocatalyst in the anode compartment
oxidizes the carbon sources or substrates, and generates electrons and protons. Oxygen in the anode chamber will inhibit the production of
electricity; thus, a pragmatic system must be designed to keep the bacteria separated from oxygen (anaerobic chamber for anodic reaction)
(Rahimnejad, Adhami, Darvari, Zirepour, & Oh, 2017).
Related Studies
A study was conducted to produce green energy (bioelectricity) by using paddy plant microbial fuel cells (PMFCs) in soil mixed with compost.
They used six buckets filled with the same soil with carbon fiber as the electrodes for the test. The rice plants were planted in five of the buckets,
with the sixth bucket containing only soil and an external resistance of 100 ohm was used for all cases. The result showed that the cells with
rice plants and compost showed higher values of voltage and power density with time. The highest value of voltage showed around 700 mV
when a rice plant with 1% compost mixed soil was used, while the result of the case of no rice plant and without compost, it generated more
than 95% less than the case with rice plant. Comparing cases with and without compost but with the same number of rice plants, cases with
compost depicted higher voltage to as much as 2 times. The power density was also 3 times higher when the compost was used in the paddy
PMFCs which indicated the effect of compost on bio-electricity generation. (Moqsud, Yoshitake, Bushra, Hyodo, Omine, & Strik, 2015)
A composting facility in Scotland used to investigate the potential for collection and reuse of compost heat as a source of renewable energy.
The amount of energy offered by the compost was calculated and seasonal variations analyzed. A heat exchanger was designed in order to
collect and transfer the heat. This allowed heated water with a temperature of 47.3oC to be obtained. The temperature could be further increased
to above 60oC by passing it through multiple tunnels in series. Estimated costs for installing and running the system were calculated. In order
to analyze these costs alternative solar thermal and ground source heat pump systems were also designed. The levels of supply and economic
performance were then compared. A capital cost of £11,662 and operating cost of £1,039 per year were estimated, resulting in a cost of £0.50
per kWh for domestic water and £0.10 per kWh for spatial heat. Using the heat of the compost was found to provide the most reliable level of
supply at a similar to other renewable energies (Irvine et al., 2010).

A study was conducted which presents a simple and sustainable Microbial Fuel Cell as a standalone, self-powered reactor for in situ wastewater
electrolysis, recovering nitrogen from wastewater. The process is proposed whereby the MFC electrical performance drives the electrolysis of
wastewater towards the self-generation of catholyte within the same reactor. The MFCs were designed to harvest the generated catholyte in
the internal chamber, which showed that liquid production rates are largely proportional to electrical current generation. The catholyte
demonstrated bactericidal properties, compared to the control (open-circuit) diffusate, and reduced observable biofilm formation on the cathode
electrode. Killing effects were confirmed using bacterial kill curves constructed by exposing a bioluminescent Escherichia coli target, as a
surrogate coliform, to catholyte where a rapid kill rate was observed. Therefore, MFCs could serve as a water recovery system, a
disinfectant/cleaner generator that limits undesired biofilm formation and as a washing agent in waterless urinals to improve sanitation. The
study can convert organic waste directly into electricity and self-driven nitrogen along with water recovery and it could lead to the development
of energy positive bioprocesses for sustainable wastewater treatment (Gajda, Greenman, Melhuish, Ieropoulos, 2016).
This study describes the potential for algal biomass production in simultaneity with wastewater treatment and power generation within a fully
biotic Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC). The anaerobic biofilm in the anode half-cell is generating current, whereas the phototrophic biofilm on the
cathode is providing the oxygen for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) and forming biomass. The MFC is producing electricity with
simultaneous biomass regeneration in the cathodic half-cell, which is dependent on the nutrient value of the feedstock found in the anode.
Growth of algal biomass in the cathode was monitored, assessed and compared against the MFC power production (charge transfer), during
this process, MFC generation of electricity activated the cation crossover for the formation of biomass, which has been harvested and reused
as energy source in a closed loop system. It can be concluded that the nutrient reclamation and assimilation into new biomass increases the
energy efficiency. This work is presenting a simple and self-sustainable MFC operation with which reduce our reliance on chemicals. Moreover,
it is an energy generation system that uses waste products and maximizing energy turnover through an additional biomass recovery (Gajda,
et.al, 2016).
This study was aimed to investigate the potential electricity generation by utilizing animal dung and leaf mold as a very prospective substrate
for bioelectricity generation using MFC. MFC as a direct current source (DC), in this experiment we focus to prove the voltage generated by the
material. Result shows that for a mixed sample of Test V (leaf mold and soil), it generated 10980 ± 11.32 mV/m2, while for the pure samples
showed at it generated 10880 ± 4.784 mV/m2 for Test IV (chicken dropping). The advancements in this environmentally friendly study have
expanded that cow dung, chicken droppings and leaf mold as a variety of organic wastes which contains large amounts of nutrients and various
other minerals, as a microbial fuel cell proved to generate sustainable green and safe electricity moreover as an efficient, eco-friendly solution
for organic waste management (Gazali, & Mosqud, 2017).

This study will be conducted primarily on the generation of electricity from biomass in compost pit through MFC in La
Trinidad, Benguet and it mostly conducted on weekends including holidays from August to September. Samples were taken from the
existing compost pit of the researcher’s residence in Camp Dangwa which holds many varieties of organic matter. MFC design will be
homemade and materials will be gathered locally. If needed, apparatus will be borrowed from Laboratory in CRSHS.
This study will help reduced our dependence on fossil fueled generated electricity and create a more eco-friendly and safe
generation of electricity using biomass by in compost pits. It address many environmental issues, especially global warming and
greenhouse gases emissions, and foster sustainable development among poor communities It also helps in creating a more efficient
solid waste management in the researcher’s town as it uses the biomass in compost pit to be converted into electricity. Moreover compost
pit sources are readily available in rural and urban areas of all countries especially in agricultural sectors as farmers make their own
compost pit to make fertilizers.
II. Methodology
Research Design
The study will be conducted at the researcher’s residence in Camp Dangwa, Alapang, La Trinidad, Benguet with an existing
compost pit. A Two-group design will be used in the experiment because it has a control group and experimental group. The control
group will be the MFC applied to a wastewater while the experimental group will be the MFC applied to organic waste in compost pit.
The design will be modified with a parallel group in which the control group will be compared to two experimental group, mainly the solid
and liquid biomass found in the compost pit.
Procedures and Methods
Experimental Material
Materials will be gathered such as:
A Drill and a 2 1l Plastic Containers will be used to create the chambers. The first chamber will be filled with distilled water (cathode)
while the other is the biomass (anode). A Cotton rope, Salt, Small Pot where it is used in creating a salt bridge- allows for current to flow
of hydrogen ions in a circuit. An Aluminum mesh, where it will be used in creating the electrode along with the Paper clips for the electron
to pass. 2 meter Copper wire along with the alligator clips, which is used to transport the electrons to the distilled water chamber. Electrical
tape, Glue gun, Glue sticks, Duct tapes were used to seal or connect anything to the containers. Aquarium and an aquarium air pump
which provides extra oxygen to the reaction yielding water. Because the bacteria are not exposed to oxygen, they produce carbon dioxide,
protons, and electrons instead of carbon dioxide and water. A Hand spade and a Bucket for collecting the biomass from the compost. A
Distilled Water is used as a cathode and Organic matter in compost as an anode.
MFC Construction
Firstly, Drill one hole for copper wire on lids of containers. On one of the two lids, drill one hole for the air pump tube and one small hole
for ventilation (this will not be sealed). Drill one hole on one side to both containers for salt bridge. Prepare the electrodes. Fold aluminum
mesh a few times over and bind with large paper clips. Strip ends off of copper wire and attach to both electrodes. Insert copper wire and
air pump tube into drilled holes on lids. Seal with hot glue or caulk.
Secondly, prepare the salt bridge. Heat water over stovetop and dissolve in as much salt as possible. Twist a long rope around itself to
create a thicker rope. If necessary, cut the rope to approx. 15 cm. Soak the rope in the salt water. Once damp, wrap the rope in one
layer of electrical tape and one of duct tape, but keep the ends exposed. Insert each end of the salt bridge into the drilled holes on the
sides of the containers. Seal with hot glue or caulk and extra tape (as needed).
Then, Attach alligator clips to each loose end of copper wire. Clamp the alligator clips onto the voltmeter probes. Make sure the red probe
is attached electrically to the electrode in the water. The black probe should connect to the electrode submerged in the sludge. Turn on
the aquarium air pump.
Lastly, turn the dial on the voltmeter to 20 VDC to measure the force of electricity moving through the circuit in terms of volts. Turn the
dial to 2000m to measure it in terms of millivolts, a thousandth of a volt, to observe a more accurate reading. Turn the dial to 10A. This
number is the flow of current the microbial fuel cell is generating, measured in amps. (Nylund, 2013)
Data Gathering
Since MFC is the source of direct current (DC), in this experiment we calculate the magnitude of the potential difference (voltage) between
the anode and cathode poles and current (I) in amperes (A) using a multi meter. Power or the rate of transfer energy in watts will be
calculated using the formula: Watts (W) = amps (I) x volts (V). It will be recorded every 30 min for 4 hours.
Weighing scale, typically found in public markets, will be used in measuring the mass of the biomass from compost pit and waste water.
For the statistical analysis, Mean and Standard deviation will be used to calculate the average of the generated volts and amperes in the
given time. Standard t-Test will also be used to compare the control and experimental group and their significant difference of their
averages as well as to prove the null hypothesis which is that the produced electricity in MFC from biomass will have a higher yield than
the wastewater in MFC.
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