Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
Thumbnail Image
Publication

Current status on Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) technology

2022-01-01 , Huzairy Hassan , Raudzah Mohd Zahir , Ahmad M.A. , Mismisuraya Meor Ahmad

Agricultural and industrial activities in Malaysia have adversely impacted environmental quality leading local researchers to mobilize their expertise and resources to protect the environment from this alarming situation. The palm oil industry, for instance, generates an abundance of wastes (such as palm oil mill effluent [POME]), which calls for effective technological tools to reduce these recalcitrant wastes from spreading further. Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an emerging technology for wastewater treatment and electricity generation simultaneously, which appears to be the most advantageous solution for these environmental concerns. This chapter reviews the prospects of MFC research with a special emphasis on the current MFC status in Malaysia. It begins with an overview of MFC principles, electron transfer mechanisms, and bio-electrochemical performance. Following that, a review of the recent MFC developments and activities by Malaysian researchers is discussed with an emphasis on POME utilization. This chapter concludes with several resolutions to the main challenges researchers and scientists are facing regarding the scalability of MFC for electricity recovery and wastewater treatment.

Thumbnail Image
Publication

Dual-response quadratic model for optimisation of electricity generation and chlorophenol degradation by electro-degradative Bacillus subtilis in microbial fuel cell system

2022-01-01 , Huzairy Hassan , Jin B. , Dai S.

The interactions within microbial, chemical and electronic elements in microbial fuel cell (MFC) system can be crucial for its bio-electrochemical activities and overall performance. Therefore, this study explored polynomial models by response surface methodology (RSM) to better understand interactions among anode pH, cathode pH and inoculum size for optimising MFC system for generation of electricity and degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol. A statistical central composite design by RSM was used to develop the quadratic model designs. The optimised parameters were determined and evaluated by statistical results and the best MFC systematic outcomes in terms of current generation and chlorophenol degradation. Statistical results revealed that the optimum current density of 106 mA/m2 could be achieved at anode pH 7.5, cathode pH 6.3–6.6 and 21–28% for inoculum size. Anode–cathode pHs interaction was found to positively influence the current generation through extracellular electron transfer mechanism. The phenolic degradation was found to have lower response using these three parameter interactions. Only inoculum size-cathode pH interaction appeared to be significant where the optimum predicted phenolic degradation could be attained at pH 7.6 for cathode pH and 29.6% for inoculum size.

Thumbnail Image
Publication

Preliminary comparison of 2-chlorophenol biodegradation using microbial fuel cell and anaerobic systems

2022-04-20 , Raudzah Mohd Zahir , Huzairy Hassan , Ahmad M.A.

2-chlorophenol (2CP) is a typical contaminant found in industrial effluent that is both hazardous and persistent in the environment. The bioelectrochemical degradation of 2CP has been approved as a preferred method for removing the abrasive 2CP from wastewater. In this work, a microbial fuel cell (MFC) system inoculated with palm oil mill effluent (POME) sludge was used to degrade 2CP. The changes of morphology of the anode biofilm were observed under a light microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) for 2CP-fed MFC compared with the biofilm inoculated in an anaerobic chamber (AC). Maximum current density generated by the MFC was 97.30 mA/m2 while degrading 75% 2CP. Lower 2CP degradation of 60% was observed using the AC. Also, the abundance of negatively stained bacteria is reduced in the AC biofilm. This research shows that bioelectrochemical 2CP degradation is more efficient than conventional AC degradation. POME has the potential to be a high-value substrate for bacteria that can generate electricity in the MFC while also degrading harmful 2CP.