Abstract:
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) hold great promise as a renewable energy source that utilizes
the metabolic activity of microorganisms to generate electricity. However, MFC performance is influenced by various factors, such as pH, mediator selection, and food
source. This study aimed to investigate the impact of these variables on MFC power output. The results showed that pH is a crucial factor in determining MFC performance, with an optimal range required for maximum output. Increasing pH to 9.5 negatively impacted microorganism activity and led to a decrease in current output. Mediator selection also played a critical role in enhancing MFC efficiency, with a higher redox potential leading to increased power output. The study also found that food source selection is critical to achieving maximum power output, with easily degradable and sustainable sources improving MFC performance. The performance of MFC was also investigated by measuring water parameters such as BOD and COD and exploring the use of a mediator and bagasse as a food source. The addition of a phosphate buffer as a mediator resulted in a gradual increase in current output, reaching a maximum of 75.3 mV at week 4.5. The use of bagasse as a food source led to a high initial current output of 91.7 mV at week 1.5, likely due to the presence of easily degradable components. However, the current output decreased over time, reaching a low of 10.2 mV at week 4.5, as the microbial community depleted these nutrients. This paper suggests that pH, mediator selection, and food source are critical factors that must be considered when designing MFCs. By optimizing these variables, MFCs may be developed into a more efficient and sustainable source of energy that could help address global energy challenges.These results highlight the importance of developing new food sources for MFCs that can improve their efficiency and sustainability. These results represent an important step towards the development of more efficient and sustainable sources of energy generation, which is a crucial global challenge.
