SUPPORTED BY:

MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS & CLIMATE CHANGE

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, NEW DELHI

VOLUME-25 ISSN : 0974 2476 DECEMBER, 2014

Microbial Fuel Cells

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF KALYANI, NADIA, WEST BENGAL

Email: [email protected], [email protected], Phone: +91-33-25828750, Ext :372
Telefax :+91-33-2580 8749,Website:http://www.deskuenvis.nic.in
 EDITOR EDITORIAL
PROF. S. C. SANTRA
(ENVIS Coordinator)

ENVIS STAFFS
DR. (MRS) ANUSAYA MALLICK
(Programme officer)

MR. SAURABH BHARATI Microbial fuel cells (MFC) use the power of
(Information Officer) bacteria and convert energy released in
metabolic reactions into electrical energy.
MR. SOURAV BANERJEE This environmentally-friendly process
(Data entry operator cum web assistant) produces electricity without the combustion
of fossil fuels. Using microbes to generate
INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTRIBUTORS
electricity implies that the processes in an
ENVIS Newsletter on Environmental MFC are self-sustaining; the bacteria replicate
Biotechnology is a half-yearly publication and continue to produce power indefinitely as
publishes articles related to the thematic area of long as there is a food source to nourish the
the ENVIS Centre. Popular or easily intelligible bacteria. Moreover, MFCs are very efficient,
expositions of new or recent developments are do not rely on fossil fuels, and can run
welcome. effectively on sources like food waste and
Manuscripts should be typewritten (font should be sewage. Due to the promise of sustainable
Times New Roman and font size ought to be 12) on energy production from organic wastes,
one side of the paper in double spacing with research has intensified in this field in the last
maximum of 6-8 typed pages. few years. To further improve MFC
Figures and typed table should be in separate technology an understanding of the microbial
pages and provided with title and serial numbers. processes and limitations of these systems is
The exact position for the placement of the figures required.
and tables should be marked in the manuscript.
In this newsletter (Vol. no. 25), we have
Articles should be sent to attempted to discuss the Microbial Fuel Cell
(MFCs) related issues and case studies.
The Coordinator
ENVIS Centre
Department of Environmental Science
University of Kalyani, Kalyani-741235
Nadia, West Bengal
(S. C. Santra)
Email:[email protected]
[email protected]

IN THIS ISSUE:

Microbial Fuel Cells

FORTHCOMING EVENTS
QUERY FORM

2
 Microbial Fuel Cells

1. Introduction
Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is one choice that
has received attention as alternative energy in
directly generating electricity from organic
matters. A microbial fuel cell is a bioreactor
that converts chemical energy in the chemical
bonds in organic compounds to electrical
energy through catalytic reactions of micro-
organisms under anaerobic conditions (Fig.1).

Source: http://pubs.rsc.org/
Fig. 2: Bioelectrochemical System
Types of Cathode Product
BES substrate
MFC Oxygen Electricity
MEC Protons Biohydrogen
BES Acetate Ehtanol
BES Oxygen Hydrogen
peroxide
Source: http://www.rsc.org/
Microbial fuel cells have become an
Fig. 1: MFCs produces energy interesting and promising area of research.
Energy has been the major aspects in the There are many applications of MFCs will
evolution of civilization, as fossil fuels have help to reduce the use of fossil fuels and allow
taken care of industrial revolution part. The for energy gain from wastes. MFC technology
energy needs cannot be sustained by fossil does not have the power to change the world
fuels only at the end of 21st century as they are single-handedly; microbial fuel cells will
not substantial enough because of their limited never be able to produce enough electricity to
availability. So, the need for renewable take the place of a coal-fired power plant.
alternative source of energy generation is need They will, however, help to bring the world to
of the day. becoming a sustainable and more
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have emerged in environmentally-friendly place.
recent years as a promising and challenging It is now known that electricity can be
technology. In a MFC, microorganisms produced directly from the degradation of
interact with electrodes using electrons, which organic matter in a microbial fuel cell. Like a
are either removed or supplied through an normal fuel cell, an MFC has both an anode
electrical circuit. MFCs are the major type of and cathode chamber. The anoxic anode
bioelectrochemical systems (BESs), which chamber is connected internally to the cathode
convert biomass spontaneously into electricity chamber via an ion exchange membrane with
through the metabolic activity of the the circuit completed by an external wire (Fig.
microorganisms (Fig. 2). 3).

3
MFCs have various practical applications such as 3. Types of Microbial fuel cell
in breweries, domestic wastewater treatment,
A microbial fuel cell is a device that converts
desalination plants, hydrogen production, remote
sensing, and pollution remediation, and they can chemical energy to electrical energy by the
be used as a remote power source. Widespread use catalytic reaction of microorganisms. A
of MFCs in these areas can take our waste typical microbial fuel cell consists of anode
products and transform them into energy. and cathode compartments separated by a
cation (positively charged ion) specific
membrane. In the anode compartment, fuel is
oxidized by microorganisms, generating
CO2, electrons and protons. 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.
Broadly, there are two types of microbial fuel
cell: mediator and mediator-less microbial
Source: www.sciencebuddies.org
fuel cells.
Fig. 3: Simplified view of a two-chamber
MFC with possible modes of electron
3.1. Mediator microbial fuel cell
transfer. Most of the microbial cells are
electrochemically inactive. The electron
2. History of Microbial fuel cell transfer from microbial cells to
The idea of obtaining energy from bacteria the electrode is facilitated by mediators such
began in 1911 with M. C. Potter, a professor as thionine, methyl viologen, methyl
of botany at the University of Durham. In his blue, humic acid, neutral red and so on. Most
studies of how microorganisms degrade of the mediators available are expensive and
organic compounds, he discovered that toxic (Fig.4).
electrical energy was also produced. Potter
had the idea of trying to harvest this new
found source of energy for human use. He
was able to construct a primitive microbial
fuel cell, but not enough was known about the
metabolism of bacteria for the design to be
improved upon.
In recent, researchers are working to optimize
electrode materials, types and combinations of
bacteria, and electron transfer in microbial
fuel cells. Even though the idea of harnessing
the energy produced by bacteria has been
around for almost 100 years, researchers have Source: http://www.vcharkarn.com/
just begun to fully understand the MFC and Fig. 4: Electrons can flow to the anode via
how to bring out its true potential. chemical mediators.

4
3.2 Mediator-free microbial fuel cell 3.2.1. Microbial electrolysis cell
Mediator-free microbial fuel cells do not A variation of the mediator-less MFC is the
require a mediator but use electrochemically microbial electrolysis cells (MEC). Whilst
active bacteria to transfer electrons to the MFC's produce electric current by the
electrode (electrons are carried directly from bacterial decomposition of organic
the bacterial respiratory enzyme to the compounds in water, MECs partially reverse
electrode). Among the electrochemically the process to generate hydrogen or methane
active bacteria are, Shewanella putrefaciens, by applying a voltage to bacteria to
Aeromonas hydrophila, and others. Some supplement the voltage generated by the
bacteria, which have pili on their external microbial decomposition of organics
membrane, are able to transfer their electron sufficiently lead to the electrolysis of water or
production via these pili. Mediator-less MFCs the production of methane. A complete
are a more recent area of research and, due to reversal of the MFC principle is found
this, factors that affect optimum efficiency, in microbial electrosynthesis, in which CO2 is
such as the strain of bacteria used in the reduced by bacteria using an external electric
system, type of ion-exchange membrane, and current to form multi-carbon organic
system conditions (temperature, pH, etc.) are compounds (Fig. 6).
not particularly well understood.
Mediator-less microbial fuel cells can, besides
running on wastewater, also derive energy
directly from certain plants. This
configuration is known as a plant microbial
fuel cell. Possible plants include reed sweet
grass, cord grass, rice, tomatoes, lupines and
algae (Fig. 5). The mediator free microbial
fuel cells are of designed in various types,
like-
 Microbial electrolysis cell
 Soil-based microbial fuel cell
 Phototrophic biofilm microbial fuel cell

Source: http://peswiki.com
Fig. 6: Microbial electrolysis cell
3.2.2 Soil-based microbial fuel cell
Soil-based microbial fuel cells adhere to the
same basic MFC principles. Soil acts as the
nutrient-rich anodic media, the inoculum, and
the proton-exchange membrane (PEM). The
anode is placed at a certain depth within the
soil, while the cathode rests on top the soil
(designed by NIOO-KNAW) and is exposed to the oxygen in the air above
Fig. 5: A plant microbial fuel cell (PMFC) it.

5
Soils are naturally teeming with a diverse
consortium of microbes, including the
electrogenic microbes needed for MFCs, and
are full of complex sugars and other nutrients
that have accumulated over millions of years
of plant and animal material decay. Moreover,
the aerobic (oxygen consuming) microbes
present in the soil act as an oxygen filter,
much like the expensive PEM materials used
in laboratory MFC systems, which cause the
redox potential of the soil to decrease with
greater depth (Fig. 7).

Source: http://phobia.itqb.unl.pt/
Fig. 8: Phototrophic biofilms.
4. Basic components of microbial fuel
cells
A typical MFC consists of an anodic chamber
and a cathodic chamber separated by a proton-
exchange membrane (PEM). A one-
compartment MFC eliminates the need for the
cathodic chamber by exposing the cathode
directly to the air.
Items Materials
Anode Graphite, graphite felt, carbon
paper,carbon-cloth, Pt, Pt black,
RVC
Source: http://ramank.info.cm/ Cathode Graphite, graphite felt, carbon
Fig. 7: A soil-based MFC paper,carbon-cloth, Pt, Pt black,
3.2.3 Phototrophic biofilm microbial RVC
fuel cell Anodic Glass, polycarbonate, Plexiglas
Chamber
Phototrophic biofilm MFCs (PBMFCs) are
Cathodic Glass, polycarbonate, Plexiglas
the ones that make use of anode with a
Chamber
phototrophic biofilm containing hotosynthetic
Proton Proton exchange membrane:
microorganism like chlorophyta, cyanophyta
Exchange Nafion, Ultrex, polyethylene.
etc., since they could carry out photosynthesis
system poly, (styrene- co-
and thus they act as both producers of organic
divinylbenzene); salt bridge,
metabolites and also as electron donors.
porcelain septum, or solely
The sub-category of phototrophic microbial electrolyte)
fuel cells that use purely oxygenic Electrode Pt, Pt black, MnO2, Fe3+,
photosynthetic material at the anode are catalyst polyaniline, electron mediator
sometimes called biological photovoltaic immobilized on anode
systems (Fig.8).
(Source: Du et. al., 2007)

6
5. Factors affecting the MFCs 5.4. Operating conditions in the anodic
efficiency chamber
5.1. Electrode Material Substrate type, concentration and feed rate are
important factors that impact the performance
Type of material used in electrode preparation
of an MFC. Power density varies greatly with
will show vital effect on MFCs efficiency.
different substrates using same a given
Better performing electrode materials usage
microbe or microbial consortium. Electricity
will always improve the performance of MFC
generation is dependent on substrate
because different anode materials result in
concentration both in batch and continuous-
different activation polarization losses (Fig.
flow mode MFCs.
9).
5.5. Operating conditions in the cathodic
chamber:
Oxygen is the most commonly used electron
acceptor in MFCs for the cathodic reaction.
Power output of an MFC strongly depends on
the concentration level of electron acceptors.
6. Microbes use in MFCs
Many microorganisms possess the ability to
transfer the electrons derived from the
metabolism of organic matters to the anode. A
Source: http://electrochem.xmu.edu.cn
list of microbes with substrate and application
Fig. 9: Electrode material for MFCs is shown in Table 1.
5.2. pH Buffer and Electrolyte Table 1. Microbes use in MFCs
If no buffer solution is used in a working Microbes Substrate Applications
MFC, there will be an obvious pH difference Actinobacillus Glucose Neutral red or
between the anodic and cathodic chambers, succinogenes thionine as electron
though theoretically there will be no pH shift mediator
Aeromonas Acetate Mediator-less MFC
when the reaction rate of protons, electrons hydrophila
and oxygen at the cathode equals the Alcaligenes Glucose Self-mediate
production rate of protons at the anode. The faecalis, consortia isolated
pH difference increases the driving force of Enterococcusga from MFC
the proton diffusion from the anode to the llinarum, with a maximal
Pseudomonas level of 4.31 W m−2
cathode chamber and finally a dynamic
aeruginosa
equilibrium forms. Clostridium Starch, Fermentative
5.3. Proton Exchange System beijerinckii, Glucose, bacterium
Clostridium Lactase,
Proton exchange system can affect an MFC butyricum molasses
system's internal resistance and concentration Desulfovibrio Sucrose Sulphate/sulphide as
polarization loss and they in turn influence desulfuricans mediator
the power output of the MFC. Nafion Erwinia Glucose Ferric chelate
(DuPont, Wilmington, Delaware) is most dissolven complex as
mediators
popular because of its highly selective
Escherichia coli Glucose, Methylene blue
permeability of protons. sucrose mediators needed
Lactobacillus Glucose Ferric chelate
plantarum complex-mediators

7
Gluconobacter Glucose Mediator (HNQ, composition is always the same; these
oxydans resazurin or constant conditions allow bacteria to adapt
thionine) and become more efficient. The power
needed
Geobacter Acetate Mediator-less MFC generated from cleaning the brewery
metallireducens, wastewater is expected to pay for the initial
Geobacter cost of the MFC in ten years (Fig.9).
sulfurreducens
Klebsiella Glucose HNQ as mediator
pneumoniae biomineralized
manganese as
electron acceptor
Proteus Glucose Thionin as mediator
mirabilis
Pseudomonas Glucose Pyocyanin and
aeruginosa phenazine-1-
carboxamide as
mediator
Rhodoferax Glucose, Mediator-less MFC
ferrireducens xylose,
Shewanella Lactase Anthraquinone-2,6-
oneidensis disulfonate (AQDS)
as mediator
Shewanella Lactase, Mediator-less MFC Source: http://illumin.usc.edu
putrefaciens pyruvate, Fig. 9: A microbial fuel cell in a brewery
acetate,
used for wastewater treatment.
glucose
Streptococcus Glucose Ferric chelate 7.2 Sewage Treatment
lactis complex as Sewage wastewater can also be converted via
mediators microbial fuel cells to decompose the waste
Source:Du et al., 2007 organic material. Micro-organisms can
7. Application of Microbial fuel cell perform the dual duty of degrading effluents
Microbial fuels cells is an important and generating power. MFCs are presently
application in wastewater treatment. The under serious consideration as devices to
organic carbon waste can be removed, and produce electrical power in the course of
electricity is produced. Industries that treatment of industrial, agricultural, and
produce wastewaters high in easily municipal wastewater. When micro-organisms
degradable organic carbon are good oxidize organic compounds present in waste
candidates for this application. Examples are water, electrons are released yielding a steady
food industry, dairies, breweries, the source of electrical current. If power
bioproducts industry, and the biofuels generation in these systems can be increased,
industry, such as biorefineries. MFCs may provide a new method to offset
operating costs of waste water treatment
7.1 Brewery Wastewater Treatment
plants, making advanced waste water
Brewery and food manufacturing wastewater
treatment more affordable in both developing
can be treated by microbial fuel cells because
and industrialized nations. In addition, MFCs
their wastewater is rich in organic compounds
are also known to generate less excess sludge
that can serve as food for the microorganisms.
as compared to the aerobic treatment process
Breweries are ideal for the implementation of
(Fig. 10).
microbial fuel cells, as their wastewater

8
 7.4 Hydrogen Production
Hydrogen production by MFCs operating on
organic waste may be an interesting
alternative. In such devices, anaerobic
conditions are maintained in the cathode
chamber and additional voltage of around
0.25 V is applied to the cathode. Under such
conditions, protons are reduced to hydrogen
on the cathode. Such modified MFCs are
termed bio-electrochemically assisted
microbial reactors (BEAMR) (Fig. 12).

Source: http://pubs.rsc.org/
Fig. 10: Waste water treatment
7.3 Desalination
Desalination of sea water and brackish water
for use as drinking water has always presented
significant problems because of the amount of
energy required to remove the dissolved salts
from the water. By using an adapted microbial
fuel cell, this process could proceed with no
external electrical energy input. By adding a
third chamber in between the two electrodes Siurce: http://polizeros.com/tag/fuel-cells/
of a standard MFC and filling it with sea Fig. 12: Fuel cells are powered by hydrogen
water, the cell’s positive and negative 7.5 Remote Sensors
electrodes attract the positive and negative salt MFCs can run low-power sensors that collect
ions in the water and, using semi-permeable data from remote areas. A simple microbial
membranes, filters out the salt from the sea fuel cell consisting of a cathode attached to an
water (Fig. 11). anode by a metal wire. By placing the anode
in the anaerobic sediment of a river or ocean
and placing the cathode in the aerobic water
right above the sediment, a current is
generated. Anaerobic bacteria that naturally
grow in the sediment produce the small
current that can be used to charge a capacitor
to store energy for whenever the sensor needs
it. One major advantage of using a microbial
fuel cell in remote sensing rather than a
traditional battery is that the bacteria
reproduce, giving the MFC a significantly
longer lifetime than traditional batteries. The
sensor can thus be left alone in a remote area
Source: http://illumin.usc.edu for many years without maintenance (Fig. 13).
Fig. 11: A desalination microbial fuel cell

9
 electrical current produced by a simple
homemade MFC is enough to recharge a cell
phone battery, an important communication
and lighting tool to rural African
communities. The materials required to
construct this simple MFC are soil, manure,
copper wire, buckets, and graphite cloth (Fig.
15).

Source: http://illumin.usc.edu/
Fig. 13: Microbial fuel cell integrated into
riverbed.
7.6 Cleansing Polluted Lakes and Rivers
Microbial fuel cells can also be used in the
bioremediation of water containing organic
pollutants such as toluene and benzene,
compounds found in gasoline. The MFC
design is altered so that the fuel cell floats on Source:http://illumin.usc.edu/
top of polluted water. The anode is submerged Fig. 15: A cheap microbial fuel cell made
in the water where organic pollutants feed the by the Lebone group.
bacteria while the cathode floats on top of the 7.8 Generation of Energy out of Bio-waste/
water. The organic pollutants are decomposed Organic Matter
to carbon dioxide and water, cleansing the Electricity is being generated in a direct way
polluted lake or stream. The MFC can be left from biowastes and organic matter. This
alone in remote natural bodies of water, just energy can be used for operation of the waste
like the remote sensor (Fig. 14). treatment plant, or sold to the energy market.
Furthermore, the generated current can be
used to produce hydrogen gas. Since waste
flows are often variable, a temporary storage
of the energy in the form of hydrogen, as a
buffer, can be desirable (Fig.16).

Source:http://illumin.usc.edu/
Fig. 14: A robot powered by an integrated
microbial fuel cell.
7.7 Remote Power Source
The advancement of microbial fuel cell
technologies provides cheap, accessible power Source: http://itphot.shdongliang.net/
to remote regions of Africa, where 74% of the Fig. 16: Energy out put
population lives without electricity. The
10
7.9 Direct Conversion of Substrate Energy 7.11 Omission of gas treatment
to Electricity Generally, off-gases of anaerobic processes
Application of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) to contain high concentrations of nitrogen gas,
wastewater treatment for direct recovery of hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide next to
electric energy appears to provide a the desired hydrogen or methane gas. The off
potentially attractive alternative to traditional gases of MFCs have generally no economic
treatment processes, in an optic of costs value, since the energy contained in the
reduction, and tapping of sustainable energy substrate was prior directed towards the
sources that characterizes current trends in anode. The separation has been done by the
technology (Fig 17). bacteria, draining off the energy of the
compounds towards the anode in the form of
electrons. The gas generated by the anode
compartment can hence be discharged,
provided that no large quantities of H2S or
other odorous compounds are present in the
gas, and no aerosols with undesired bacteria
are liberated into the environment (Fig. 19).

Source: http://www.cell.com
Fig. 17: Energy production
7.10 Sludge production
A two-chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC)
with potassium ferricyanide as its electron
acceptor was utilized to degrade excess
sewage sludge and to generate electricity.
This study demonstrates that this MFC can
Source: asunews.asu.edu
generate electricity from sewage sludge over a
wide range of process parameters (Fig.18) Fig. 19: Gas Treatment
7.12 Microbial Fuel Cells for Robotics
For a robot to behave truly autonomously it
will need not only to use its energy in an
effective way but also extract this energy from
its environment. This requires the robot to
convert energy from natural raw materials and
also deal with replenishing reserves and waste
management.
Based on this technology the EcoBot-I,
EcoBot-II and EcoBot-III have been
developed, which - to some extent - exhibit
this type of behaviour.
EcoBot-I, which was developed in 2002,
Source: http://www.innovationtoronto.com employed E. coli and was fed with sugar.
Fig. 18: Fuel cell trats waste water EcoBot-II, which was developed in 2004

11
used sludge microbes and was fed (amongst 400 μM for Zn. MFC has been used to convert
other substrates) with dead insects and food organic matter in sludge into electricity.
waste. (http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/handle/1957/473
EcoBot III developed in 2007 is a 29) (20.03.2014).
lightweight(6kg) self-sustaining robot 8.2 Microbial Fuel Cell generating
designed to clean wastewater. Powered by electricity from wastewater
MFCs, the robot runs off human waste, using The Amrita Center of Biotechnology
it to produce electricity necessary for introduced a Microbial Fuel Cell, which
performing its cleaning task. The robot is utilizes energy from bacterial growth in
consists of the ingestion, artificial digestion wastewater to generate electricity while
and solid waste excretion mechanism. The simultaneously bringing about purification of
project was funded by Engineering and the wastewater–an important step in
Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) addressing the sanitation and energy problems
and developed in collaboration between that are very relevant in our country
Wessex Water and the Bristol Robotics (http://www.amritapuri.org/, 27 Sep 2014).
Laboratory in England (Fig. 20). 8.3 New Microbial Fuel Cell can Produce
Electricity from Waste Water
Engineers at Oregon State University have
made a breakthrough in the performance of
microbial fuel cells that can produce
electricity directly from wastewater. The new
technology can now produce 10 to 50 more
times the electricity, by volume, more than
most other approaches using microbial fuel
cells, and 100 times more electricity than
some.
The new microbial fuel cell technology cleans
sewage by a very different approach than
today’s aerobic bacteria systems. Microbial
fuel cell bacteria oxidize the organic matter
Source: http://inhabitat.com/ecobot-iii-is-a-human- and, in the process, produce electrons that run
waste-powered-robot-that-cleans-wastewater from the anode to the cathode within the fuel
Fig. 20: EcoBot III cell, creating an electrical current. Almost any
8. Case studies & Current research type of organic waste material can be used to
on MFCs produce electricity – not only wastewater, but
8.1 MFC for wastewater treatment: heavy also grass straw, animal waste, and by-
metal removal, sewage sludge treatment, products from such operations as the wine,
and its potential application in wastewater beer or dairy industries
reuse in irrigation. (http://oilprice.com/BrianWestenhaus, August 2012).
High power generation (3.6 W/m²) and high 8.4 Microbial fuel cell for production of
Cd (90%) and Zn (97%) removal efficiencies bioelectricity from whey and biological
were achieved in a single chamber air-cathode waste treatment.
microbial fuel cell (MFC). The maximum Electricity generation by MFC with paneer
tolerable concentrations (MTCs) that did not whey degradation with different
affect power output were 200 μM for Cd and

12
microorganisms was investigated in a two (full water holding capacity [WHC] and
compartment cell without mediators in the flooding) and the carbon source (glucose and
microbial fuel cell. straw) were constructed. Voltage (mV) and
Microorganisms were able to utilize the current intensity (μA) produced by the MFCs
carbohydrate (mainly lactose) existing in the were recorded every day or at 2-day intervals.
whey for generation of bioelectricity. The (Wolińska, et. al., 2014 Appl Biochem Biotechnol).
open circuit potential was determined and the 8.7 Electricity generation and waste water
maximum voltage given by different treatment of Oil refinery in Microbial fuel
organisms was estimated. The MFC was run cells using Pseudomonas putida
using Klebsiella pneumonae and sewage By Using Pseudomonas putida (BCRC
sample. It was found that the maximum OCV 1059), a wild-type bacterium. The refinery
of 453 mV was shown by Klebsiella waste water could be treated and also generate
pneumonae and proves to be the best electic current in air-cathode chamber over
organism for obtaining bioelectricity from four-batch cycles for 63 cumulative days. The
whey. (Aishwarya et. al., 2011, International Journal oil refinery waste water containing chemical
of Advanced Biotechnology and Research). oxygen demand (COD) could be used as a
8.5 Substrates used in microbial fuel cells sustrate for electicity generation in the reactor
(MFCs) for sustainable energy production. of the MFC. The removal efficiency of the
MFCs offer the possibility of extracting COD reached 30% as a function of time. This
electric current from a wide range of soluble study demonstrated that oil refinery waste
or dissolved complex organic wastes and water could used as a substrate for electricity
renewable biomass. A large number of generation (Majumdar et. al., 2014 International
substrates have been explored as feed. The journal of Hydrogen Energy)
major substrates that have been tried include 8.8 Microbial battery: Team uses ‘wired
various kinds of artificial and real wastewaters microbes’ to generate electricity from
and lignocellulosic biomass. Though the sewage
current and power yields are relatively low at Stanford scientists have developed a “battery”
present, it is expected that with improvements that harnesses a special type of microbe to
in technology and knowledge about these produce electricity by digesting the plant and
unique systems, the amount of electric current animal waste dissolved in sewage. Engineers
(and electric power) which can be extracted at Stanford University have devised a new
from these systems will increase
way to generate electricity from sewage using
tremendously providing a sustainable way of
naturally-occurring “wired microbes” as mini
directly converting lignocellulosic biomass or
power plants, producing electricity as they
wastewaters to useful energy. (Deepak et. al.,
2009, Bioresource Technology)
digest plant and animal waste.
(http://phys.org/news/2013-09-microbial-battery-team-
wired-microbes.html#jCp) Sep 16, 2013.
8.6 Bioelectricity Production from Soil
Using Microbial Fuel Cell 8.9 Bacteria that turn waste to energy in
As soil is an environment with the highest
microbial fuel cells studied
number of microorganisms and diversity, it
should have the potential for energy Anaerobic microorganisms which can
generation. The soil used for the study was consume waste while generating electricity in
Mollic Gleysol collected from the surface a type of microbial electrochemical cell
layer (0–20 cm). Four combinations of soil known as a microbial fuel cell, are being
MFC differing from each other in humidity
13
studied by researchers at Arizona State (http://researchmatters.asu.edu/stories/waste-watts-
University’s Biodesign Institute. Joseph improving-microbial-fuel-cells-2317)
Miceli, a researcher at Arizona State 8.12 Electricity Generation from Biowaste
University’s (ASU). Biodesign Institute Based Microbial Fuel Cells
studies specialised microorganisms known as Voltage generated in a microbial fuel cell
anode respiring bacteria (ARB). Rather than decreases linearly with respect to time. In
investigating their role in health and disease other words, the first order derivative of
however, his research explores the ability of voltage generated with respect to time is a
these microbes to clean up waste and produce negative constant. Thus the rate of change of
useful energy in the form of electricity or voltage generated with respect to time has
hydrogen. been established to be independent of time. It
(http://www.waste management-world. com/ articles/ has been found that a mixture of biowastes
2013/04/ bacteria-turn-waste-to-energy-microbial-fuel- can actually result in higher extractable
cell.html) current than any single component although
8.10 Geobacter Bacteria Breakthrough- this is not always true in general. Further, it
Electricity Generated from Hydrogen has been found that when a component results
Researchers at the University of in higher voltage production, it ends up
Massachusetts, Amherst, have engineered a reducing the cell life.
breed of electricity producing bacteria- the (Barua and Deka, 2010 International Journal of Energy)
Geobacter species- who grow simply by using
8.13 Recent developments in microbial fuel
hydrogen gas as their exclusive electron
cell technologies for sustainable bioenergy
donor, while carbon dioxide suffices all its
carbon requirements. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are devices that
A strain of bacteria were specifically exploit microbial catabolic activities to
engineered in a microbial fuel cell so that they generate electricity from a variety of
did not feel the requirement of organic carbon, materials, including complex organic waste
and the conclusion observed was that when and renewable biomass. These sources
the hydrogen supplied to the microbial cell provide MFCs with a great advantage over
was intermittently stopped, electrical signals chemical fuel cells that can utilize only
drooped substantially and cells attached to the purified reactive fuels (e.g., hydrogen). A
electrodes did not produce any significant developing primary application of MFCs is its
electricity. use in the production of sustainable
(http://www.crazyengineers.com/threads/geobacter- bioenergy, e.g., organic waste treatment
bacteria-breakthrough-electricity-generated-from- coupled with electricity generation, although
hydrogen.68064/) May 20, 2013 further technical developments are necessary
8.11 Waste to Watts: Improving Microbial for its practical use (Watanabe K., 2008).
Fuel Cells. 8.14 Electric Power Generation from
According to César Torres and Sudeep Popat, municipal, Food, and Animal wastewaters
researchers at Arizona State University’s Using Microbial Fuel Cells
Biodesign Institute, certain kinds of bacteria The microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology can
are adept at converting waste into useful replace activated sludge processes for
energy. These microorganisms are presently secondary wastewater treatment. When a
being applied to the task, through an complex wastewater is treated with a diverse
innovative technology known as a microbial and undefined community of microbes in
fuel cell or MFC. (Richard Harth, July 19th, 2012).

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large-scale systems. These challenges include  Most fuel cells operate silently, compared
low coulombic efficiencies, slow kinetic rates, to internal combustion engines
and nonlinear power density increases during  Fuel cells have no “memory effect” when
scaleup efforts. Finally, developed a they are getting refueled.
prediction of the main economic gain from
 The maintenance of fuel cells is simple
treating wastewater with microbial fuel cells.
since there are few moving parts in the
The lectricity generation will not justify MFC
system.
operation, but that BOD removal with this
 Fuel cells provide high quality DC power.
more sustainable technology is attractive
(Jeffrey et al., 2010, Electroanalysis)  The absence of combustion and moving
parts means that fuel cell technologies are
8.15 Electricity production from beer expected to provide much improved
brewery wastewater using single chamber reliability over traditional combustion
microbial fuel cell engines.
The performance of electricity production  Use a variety of fuels, renewable energy
from beer brewery wastewater in a single and clean fossil fuels.
chamber membrane-free microbial fuel cell  The power densities are high values.
(MFC) was investigated. The MFCs could
 Cogeneration Capability.
generate electricity from full-strength
wastewater (2,239 mg-COD/L, 50mM PBS  Fuel cells can be responsive to changing
added) with the maximum power density of electrical loads.
483mW/m2 (12W/m3) at 308C and 10. Disadvantages
435mW/m2 (11W/m3) at 208C, respectively.
Temperature was found to have bigger impact  Fuelling fuel cells is still a major problem
on cathode potential than anode potential. since the production, transportation,
Results suggested that it is feasible to generate distribution and storage of hydrogen is
electricity with the treatment of beer brewery difficult.
wastewater. (Wang et al. 2008).  Reforming hydrocarbons via reformer to
produce hydrogen is technically
9. Advantages challenging and not clearly
 Fuel cells eliminate pollution caused by environmentally friendly.
burning fossil fuels; the only by-product is  The refueling and the starting time of fuel
water. cell vehicles are longer and the driving
 If the hydrogen used comes from the range is shorter than in a “normal” car.
electrolysis of water, then using fuel cells  Fuel cells are in general slightly bigger
eliminates greenhouse gases. than comparable batteries or engines.
 Since hydrogen can be produced anywhere However, the size of the units is
where there is water and electricity, decreasing.
production of potential fuel can be  Fuel cells are currently very expensive to
distributed. produce, since most units are hand-made.
 Installation of smaller stationary fuel cells  Some fuel cells use expensive materials.
leads to a more stabilized and decentralized  The technology is not yet fully developed
power grid. and few products are available.
 Fuel cells have a higher efficiency than
diesel or gas engines.

15
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