Title: Wastewater treatment and electricity generation by membrane less microbial fuel

Authors: M.S.A. Amin; T. Haque; R. Tarannum; Maksudur R. Khan

Addresses: Department of Chemical Engineering and Polymer Science, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh ' Department of Chemical Engineering and Polymer Science, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh ' Department of Chemical Engineering and Polymer Science, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh ' Department of Chemical Engineering and Polymer Science, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh; Department of Chemical and Natural Resources Engineering, University Malaysia Pahang, 26300 Gambang, Pahang, Malaysia

Abstract: Membrane less microbial fuel cell (ML-MFC) is one of the attractive approaches for the simultaneous electricity generation and wastewater treatment. In this present paper, electricity generation by ML-MFC has been studied in continuous mode. Several experiments such as effect of aeration in cathode compartment, sludge concentration, initial substrate concentration and the COD removing capability of the ML-MFC were investigated to maximise the performance. A maximum power density of 8.98 mW/m² was observed at the current density of 34.02 mA/m². COD removal was detailed from 44% to 54% in all experiments.

Keywords: microbial fuel cells; MFC; COD removal; chemical oxygen demand; wastewater treatment; electricity generation; aeration; sludge concentration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEE.2014.064306

International Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2014 Vol.6 No.3, pp.314 - 323

Received: 19 Jun 2012
Accepted: 29 Dec 2012
Published online: 30 Aug 2014 *

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