International Journal of Application or Innovation in Engineering & Management (IJAIEM)
Web Site: www.ijaiem.org Email: editor@ijaiem.org, editorijaiem@gmail.com
Volume 2, Issue 3, March 2013
ISSN 2319 - 4847
Bioelectricity production using Produce water as
Substrate
Akuma Oji 1, ChidinmaDaokoru-Olukole 2, AgedahDenglyefa Richard3
1
Chemical Engineering Department, University of Port Harcourt,
PMB 5323, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
2,3
Department of Biological Sciences, Niger Delta University,
Wilberforce Island, Yenagoa, Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
The research was carried out to investigate the performance of a mediator less microbial fuel cell, waste water treatment using
Produce Water as source of substrate organic medium. Experimental result showed power produce by the monitoring of the
Voltage (V) and Current (A) on the circuit. Without addition of mediator, maximum power density of 108mW/m 2 was obtained
from full strength waste water with chemical oxygen demandreduction from 216.0mg/l to 134.0mg/l. The study recorded that
produce water can be treated using microbial fuel cell technology with electricity generation without adding mediator.
Keywords: Produce water, Bioelectricity, Microbial fuel cell, Substrate, Treatment.
1. INTRODUCTION
Microbial Fuel Cell (MFCs) is an emerging energy production technology that is environmental friendly.Deriving its
feed from organic waste matter as fuels, it converts same to electricity mainly through endogenous microbes as catalysts
leaving the wastewater with little or no pollutant. MFCs has reported by manyresearchers[1],[2] as having high energy
conversion efficiency harvesting electrons from the bacterial electron transport system.When micro-organisms break
down substrate such as sugar in aerobic conditions they produce carbon dioxide and water. However in the absence of
oxygen it produces carbon dioxide, protons and electrons[2]. The knowledge of the research [3],[4] finding that
Chemotrophic microbes utilize organic and other biodegradable compounds under diverse conditions can aid the
utilization of waste water of different sources for electricity production. The electrons resulting from the oxidation are
passes through an electron transport chain across appropriate electron carriers to an electron sink as a terminal electron
acceptor molecule.Oxygen can be used as terminal acceptor byaerobic organisms, which take up the electrons, and get
reduced to water [4]. The bacterial cell membrane functions as an energy transducing membrane operating according to
the
chemoosmotic
principle[5].The
bacteria
associated
with
Microbial
fuel
cells
include;Enterobacteriaceae,Pseudomonas and Lactobacillus. Fungi that secretes hydrolytic enzyme are the ones
associated with MFC.Electrons produced in a microbial fuel cell are transferred through the anode and the external
load to the cathode while the proton diffuses through the proton exchange membrane(PEM) to the cathode chamber
with or without the aid of external mediator in the anode fluid. When a mediator is not added, the MFC is classified as
mediator-less MFC[6], [7].
MFCs are presently under serious considerations as devices for the treatment of industrial, agriculture and municipal
waste water through microorganisms that oxidize organic compounds present in waste water, electrons are released
yielding a steady source of electrical current [5],[8]. Formation water is natural occurring water found in association
with oil and gas bearing rocks in oil formations or reservoir and during oil exploration and process operation is
separated and re-injected or discarded. When formation water is not treated, it will have adverse effect on the
environment [9].
This study is aimed carrying out preliminary investigation on the electricity potential of produce water and the
reduction on the Chemical oxygen demand using mediator-less microbial fuel cell.
2. MATERIAL AND METHODS
2.1 MFC construction and Electrode
Dual chamber MFC were constructed as previously described [10]. The electrodes were produced from a mixture of
charcoal and cement at a ratio of 2:1 [11]. The catholyte were made of water salt mixture as described [12]. Data of the
MFC components and parameter is in table 1.
Volume 2, Issue 3, March 2013
Page 470
International Journal of Application or Innovation in Engineering & Management (IJAIEM)
Web Site: www.ijaiem.org Email: editor@ijaiem.org, editorijaiem@gmail.com
Volume 2, Issue 3, March 2013
ISSN 2319 - 4847
Table 1 Characteristics of MFC
Volume of anode Chamber, L
1.25
Volume of Cathode Chamber, L
1.25
Anode and Cathode material
PVC
BOD, mg/L
COD, mg/L
Initial
92.00
Final
16.00
Initial
216.00
Final
134.00
PH
7.00 ± 0.2
Electrode material(Charcoal-Cement)
2:1
Electrode Surface area
2.42x10-2m2
PEM (Salt bridge)
Agar-agar
2.2 PEM and Agar Preparation
20g of agar powder was dissolved in 1L of distilled water, 75g of table salt was added and the preparation was then
autoclaved, and then poured into a cut P.V.C pipe of 8.0cm and was allowed to solidify. Screw caps were then fixed at
both ends [13]. P.V.C. pipes containing the prepared proton exchange membrane was coupled to two plastic containers,
with their covers properly placed, and the electrodes protruding to the outside as shown below. The epoxy gum was
used to seal the pipe entrance so as to prevent leakage of liquid in both chambers. See figure 1,for the picture of the
electrode and PVC chamber with coupling
Figure 1A:Charcoal-Cement Electrode
Figure 1B: PVC Chamber and PEM Coupler
2.3 Measurement of Current and Voltage
Open circuit Current (I) and voltage (V) of both set ups, were measured three times daily using a digital multi-meter for
sixteen (16) days. Power (P) density for the various data collected was calculated as described, Power Density P,
(mW/m2)[6].
Where;
I = the Current in miliAmperes (mA)
V = The Potential Difference (PD) in volts (V).
A = Electrode projected surface area (m2).
Current Density (mA/m2) were calculated by
I = the Current in miliAmperes (mA)
A = Electrode projected surface area (m2).
2.4 Chemical Oxygen Demand and Biological Oxygen demand Analysis
Volume 2, Issue 3, March 2013
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International Journal of Application or Innovation in Engineering & Management (IJAIEM)
Web Site: www.ijaiem.org Email: editor@ijaiem.org, editorijaiem@gmail.com
Volume 2, Issue 3, March 2013
ISSN 2319 - 4847
The BOD, COD and pH were measured in the anodic chambers of Cells during the operation according to standard
methods [14]. Thus, the performance of MFC was evaluated by estimating substrate (COD) removal efficiency.
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSION
3.1 Chemical Oxygen demand and Biological Oxygen Demand removal
During the operation the Chemical oxygen demand of recorded 216mg/L to 134mg/L showing approximately 38%
reduction while the Biological oxygen demand recorded 83% reduction from 92mg/L. This study should high substrate
removal efficiency and substrate degradation rate as also reported by [7].
3.2 Electricity production from produce water
The voltage generation curve started with a dip after three days at a maximum value of 100 mV to a stable open voltage
circuit (OCV) output of 50mV without inoculation or mediator added. The Voltage dropped further to lowest of 20mV
on the 13th and 14th day before stability was obtained again.The current obtained was 4±1mA.Graph of Voltage and
current against time is shown in figure 2. The Power density obtained was lower than that recorded in a review [15].
Maximum Power density on OCV was 107.85mW/m2the power density stabilized after the third day. Graph of power
density and current density is shown in figure 3
The relative current density of 119.3mA/m2 with the system operated on saline water catholyte.
The lower Power and Current density yield observed with the system may be attributed to loss in electron transport
phenomena, which resulted to less power yield that required.
Volume 2, Issue 3, March 2013
Page 472
International Journal of Application or Innovation in Engineering & Management (IJAIEM)
Web Site: www.ijaiem.org Email: editor@ijaiem.org, editorijaiem@gmail.com
Volume 2, Issue 3, March 2013
ISSN 2319 - 4847
4. CONCLUSION
The study reveals that Microbial fuel cell (MFC) could be used for substrate removal in Produced water electricity
generation. This study further demonstrated that this can be achieved using charcoal-cement mixture as electrode in a
mediator-less MFC. Chemical Oxygen demand removal was recorded in the anode chamber enumerating MFC as an
alternative wastewater treatment unit. This process can be applied to investigate the removal of contaminates in
produced water to further substantiate the wastewater treatment efficiency of the MFC technology.
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