Microbial fuel cells as a new energy source at municipal WWTP?

Introduction The high energy requirement of conventional sewage treatment systems are demanding for the alternative treatment technology which will be cost effective and require less energy for its efficient operation. In this alternative, MFC can play an important role.. Microbial fuel cells are not new The idea of using microbial cells in order to attempt to produce electricity was first found at the end of the nineteenth century. However, it is only recently that microbial fuel cells with an enhanced power output have been developed providing possible opportunities for practical applications.

How does a microbial fuel cell work? A microbial fuel cell is a device that converts chemical energy to electrical energy by the catalytic reaction of microorganisms. There are many types of microbial fuel cells reactors throughout the world, however, all reactors share the same operating principles. A typical microbial fuel cell consists of anode and cathode compartments separated by a membrane. When bacteria are placed in the anode chamber of a cell that is free of oxygen, they attach to an electrode. Because they dont have oxygen, they must transfer the electrons that they obtain from consumption (oxidation) of their food somewhere else they transfer them to the electrode. Electrons go to the anode, while the counter electrode (the cathode) is exposed to oxygen. The two electrodes are at different potentials (about 0.5 V), electrons are transferred to the cathode compartment through an external electric circuit, while protons are transferred to the cathode compartment through the membrane. Electrons and protons are consumed in the cathode compartment, combining with oxygen to form water.

Microbial fuel cells as a new energy source at municipal WWTP?

Figure 1. The working principle of a microbial fuel cell. Source: Trends in Biotechnology vol.23 no.6 June 2005

Applications of microbial fuel cell technology Microbial fuel cells provide new opportunities for the sustainable production of energy from biodegradable, reduced compounds. Although MFCs have been studied as an alternative energy source, their application is presently limited to certain niche areas. Microbial fuel cell technology, is presently tested for: Powering underwater monitoring devices, Power supply to remote sensors, BOD sensing, Hydrogen production. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are emerging as promising technology for the treatment of wastewaters. The potential energy conversion efficiencies are examined. With further improvements in design, cost effectiveness and performance, it would probably be possible to scale-up and use MFCs as a renewable energy resource. The operational and functional advantages of MFCs are: MFCs use organic waste matter as fuel and commonly available microbes as catalysts. MFCs do not require highly regulated distribution systems MFCs have high conversion efficiency as compared to Enzymatic Fuel Cells, in harvesting up to 90% of the electrons from the bacterial electron transport system.

Bacterial potential for electricity generation

Microbial fuel cells as a new energy source at municipal WWTP? Bacteria gain energy by transferring electrons from a reduced substrate at a low potential, such as glucose, to an electron acceptor with a high potential, such as oxygen. An overview of common reactions is given in table below:

Parameters dening the performance of MFCs