Bioelectricity Generation in Locally Available Construction Microbial Fuel Cells using an Algae-assisted Cathode

Abstract

The present work was designed to design low cost locally available double chamber Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs)with photosynthetic algae as cathode; inorganic carbon source algae, carbon dioxide, and sunlight to produce oxygen through photosynthesis. Microalgae grow fast; some can double in size within 7 days so that we can easily obtain large biomass within a few times. This process combines the production of biomass with efficient conversion to electrical energy. Three separate algae species were used to achieve the highest voltage levels of Chlorella sp, Scenedesmus sp, Chroococcus sp. Initially the anodic section was inoculated by activated sludge from the wastewater treatment plant and the catholic section was inoculated by the cultures of Chlorella sp, Scenedesmus sp, Chroococcus sp as pure culture and then mixed with each other. Pure culture of each algae sample generated electricity for 7 d in a single chamber of the MFC. But mixed cultures produced more stable and more powerful than pure cultures.