Power production using a batch double-chamber microbial fuel cell from brewery wastewater: Effects of electron acceptors

In recent decades, shortage and crisis of energy being a serious issue of concern all over the world as the fossil fuel reserves have been diminishing. A particular emphasis has been given for bio-energy harvesting from waste and cellulosic biomass by employing an efficient conversion system. Among these, microbial fuel cell (MFC) systems are an emerging promising technology for the effective wastewater treatment. However, the collective effect of waste substrates, inoculum composition, and catholyte concentrations on the performance of MFC system remains unclear. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the effect of electron acceptors under different set of parameters in response to its electrochemical performance inoculum chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration and type of the electron acceptor on the performance of the electrochemical has been studied. A dual-chamber MFC with 0.4 to 0.6 M values of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) and Ferricyanide K-3[Fe(CN)(6)], (900-2520 mgL(-1)) of COD values, and oxygen as a control substance were used. The experiments were carried out in a batch mode for 20 days of operation. The results reveal that MFC with 0.4 M KMnO4 provides an external output voltage of 310.09 +/- 0.06 mV and external output power density value of 400.4 +/- 0.46 mWm(-2) while 0.4 M K-3[Fe(CN)(6)] results an external output voltage of 252.18 +/- 0.12 mV and an external output power density value of 380.28 +/- 0.24 mWm(-2). Analysis of variance was done using central composite design approach to support the significance of each experimental factors on the responses and the result shows that the confidence interval of 95% for all the parameters that were statistically significant.