Microbial Fuel Cell: A Source of Bioelectricity

Investigatory Project Submitted to the Faculty of the

Senior High School Department
University of Cebu – Pri
Cebu City

CEBALLOS, RUSSEL G.
CHUA, KIM CEZAR M.
ESTREMOS, LOUVHEN PAUL T.
MANGOLARE, JOAN DARLIE B.
MENDEZ, THANIA M.
PAQUERA, JEAH D.

STEM 2A

S.Y. 2018-2019
 Abstract

Energy crisis and output pollution of energy has been a global issue. The demand
for energy is currently greater than the supply of generated energy. The study aimed to
investigate the effectiveness of microbial fuel cell as an alternative source of energy.
Microbial fuel cells are bioelectrochemical devices that use bacteria as a catalyst to
oxidize organic and inorganic matters that generates electricity. The mud sample was
accumulated, and the structure was made. After such process, a test for the voltage
generated and its current was done. The generation of voltage and its current was
monitored and tested using a multimeter for a week. The study showed that the microbial
fuel cell is an effective source of bioelectricity. However, the generated electricity is still
low and lacks oxygen that causes a limited time capacity of the cell. Therefore future
research may use an alternative source of organic material to increase microbial activities
to generate greater power.

INTRODUCTION Mindanao wherein 90% of the

Rationale
Energy problem has been an
issue on many countries in the world.
One out of seven people across the globe
still lives without electricity. The global
electrification rate rose to 85% in 2012
from 83% in 2010 (Rowling, 2015). An
estimated 1.1 billion or 14 % of the
world’s population does not have access
to electricity. Many more suffer from
poor energy supply and power shortages.
The demand for energy has been far
greater than the energy generated
(Energy Access Outlook, 2017). In order
to overcome energy crisis, the world
have opened their minds to renewable
energy such as solar power, thermal
power, and microbial fuel cell.
The Philippines have been
suffering from energy problems ever
since the 80's and 90's which made them
engage to renewable energy such as
hydroelectricity. However, due to
significant growth of energy
consumption the renewable energy
generated is not enough to supply the
demand specially in most places of
population depends on the hydroelectric
energy generated by dams and falls
(Suarez, 2018). A study shows that 2.36
million households which is 10.4% of
the Philippines population does not have
access to electricity. Many more are
limited to four to six hours access to
electricity, Xinhua (2017).
Cebu has limited choices for
renewable energy. The weather
conditions in Cebu is not suitable to be
converted into energy because it is not
known for strong winds and solar heat is
available for only 5 hours a day
(Gonzales, 2016).
A study found out that majority
of the people in Cebu have no access to
electricity located in island and mountain
barangays (Cabrera, 2015).
To answer these problems due to
this event, using a Microbial Fuel Cell
(MFC) as an alternative source of
bioelectricity can be a solution to
convert energy. Visayan Electric
Company (VECO) is the second largest
electric utility in the Philippines with an
estimated customer of 1.73 million,
Cebu is one of the cities that they served.
A rural electrification project in
continuing to energize far-flung
barangays in Cebu, recently put sitio
Cabalsaan in Minglanilla town. The
Aboitiz utility company has brought
economic development and improved
quality of life to allocate of its electricity
sales to fund rural electrification
programs. The Department of Energy
(DOE) targets to have 90% of all
households in Region 7 powered by
2017 (Perdices, 2017).
People must be conscious about
their usage of electricity in order to save
power, and will not reach the energy
crisis.
This study addresses the energy
crisis and the production of CO2 from
non-renewable energy such as fossil
fuels. We encounter mud everyday
specially on rainy seasons due to the
Philippine’s geographical features. The
researchers sought to find a way to make
mud useful by turning mud into energy.
Microbial Fuel Cell is a device that use
bacteria as a catalyst to oxidize organic
and inorganic matters and generate
electric current.
Review of Related Literature and
Studies
Related Literature
This study summarizes distinct-
ive reactor arrangements and both anode
and cathode materials that have been
created to make strides the execution as
well as the fetched decrease of MFCs. It
is found that reactor design has a critical
impact on the execution of MFCs.
Carbon-based anode materials are
capable of competing with costly
catalysts in control era and strength.
Concerning the cost perspective,
advance investigation of unused
materials or advancement of existing
cathode materials will widen the
applications of MFCs. Moreover, MFC
conjugated bioreactor frameworks can
deliver noticeably comes about in
wastewater treatment at financially
achievable numerals (Bhargavi et. al,
2018).
According to Bose and Bose
(2017), topsoil microbial community
fundamentally comprises of bacterial
species that can create power in case a
microbial fuel cell is consolidated with
it. Since such electron creating microbes
are plenteous in nature, microbial fuel
cells can be considered as clean source
of power era and a prospect for
renewable vitality development. Here,
the authors have appeared tests with a
genuine microbial fuel cell, exploring
electrical control generation from it
utilizing the Himalayan beat soil of
Dehradun in Uttarakhand, India. A two
week think about uncovered a crest
control of 0.99 mW and voltage over the
terminals rise up to 1.54 V; moreover,
different supplements were included to
the soil, like kitchen squanders and
acetic acid derivation to see the control
creating capacity of the soil organisms.
According to Darmawan et. al
(2017), elective vitality sources to
substitute fossil-based vitality is
anticipated, as the fossil energy reserves
diminishing each day. Mud is considered
to be prudent as the fabric sources for
creating the power where it may be
found effortlessly and liberally in
Indonesia. The presence of a part of mud
that contains natural fabric has awesome
potential as a source of electrical vitality
utilizing microbial fuel cells (MFCs). It
gives a promising innovation by
corrupting natural compounds to
surrender the economic vitality.
 Eaktasang et. al (2013) stated
that a dual-chamber microbial fuel cell
(MFC) vaccinated with Desulfovi-
briodesulfuri-cans and supplemented
with lactate as a natural fuel was utilized
in this consider. Biofilm shaped on the
anodic terminal was inspected by
checking electron microscopy,
uncovering that the sum of biofilm was
expanded with rehashed cycles of MFC
operation. The current generation
productivity was related to the biomass
of biofilm shaped on terminal, which
was moreover expanded as the MFC run
has rehashed. It was moreover found that
D. Desulfuricans, which was colonized
on the terminal, created fibers or nano-
pili given to cell-to-cell interface and
invigorated the improvement of thicker
electroactive biofilm, and thus, they
encouraged electron exchange to the
anode. Conclusively, the biofilm of D.
Desulfuricans enhanced the current
generation within the MFC as a result of
successful connection of cells and
electron exchange from the cell arrange
to the anode.
Catalytic effect of goethite
recovered from iron-ore mining mud was
examined in microbial fuel cell (MFCs).
The characterization of material
recovered from mining mud confirms the
recovery of iron oxide as goethite. Heat
treated goethite (550 °C) and untreated
raw goethite in stainless- steel anode of
MFC-1 and MFC- 2, respectively; while,
unmodified stainless-steel anode was
utilized in MFC- 3 (control). Fivefold
increase in control was gotten in MFC-1
(17.1 W/m3 at 20 Ω) than MFC-3
(3.5 W/m3). MFC with raw goethite
coated anode moreover appeared
improved power (11 W/m3) Higher
Coulombic effectiveness (34%) was
accomplished in MFC-1 than control
MFC-3 (13%). Decrease in mass-
transport losses and higher redox current
during electrochemical analyses support
improved electron transfer using of
goethite on anode. Cheaper goethite
coating actively quickens to accelerate
the transfer of electron between bacteria
and anode, demonstrating to be novel
approach for improving the electricity
generation together with natural matter
removal in MFC (Jadhav et al., 2015).
According to Parkash (2016),
microbial fuel cell are new types of
bioreactors that use exoelectrogenic
biofilms for electrochemical energy
production. Microbial fuel cell explored
in many aspects, such as electron
transfer mechanisms, enhancing power
outputs, reactor developments and
applications.
The salt bridge helps in
maintaining charge balance for the
reason that electrons are moving from
one-half cell to the other. The flowing of
electrons from the anode to the cathode.
The oxidation reaction that happens at
the anode produces electrons and
positively charged ions. The electrons
moved through the wire which leaves the
unbalanced positive charge. Thus, in
maintaining neutrality, the negatively
charged ions in the salt bridge will
transfer into the anodic half cell (Shebel,
2017).
In the usually study of Franks
(2011); the capability of a bacteria
known as Geobacter sulfurreducens in
producing electricity happen naturally in
almost any types of mud found in river,
sewage or waste. The bacteria use this
process to breath without oxygen.
Furthermore, the bacteria that can
produce electricity do so by directly
transferring electrons to the anode. Most
notably, they produce filaments that can
directly transfer electrons in the way
which metal does. With the bacteria
Geobacter sulfurreducens has
demonstrated that these filaments, called
nanowires which act as tiny wires.
Related Studies
This study illustrates the
simultaneous production of bioelectricity
and added-value pigments in a
Photosynthetic Alga Microbial Fuel Cell
(PAMFC). Chlorella vulgaris was used
in operating the PAMFC in the cathode
compartment and a bacterial consortium
within the anode. The framework was
considered at two distinctive light force
and the most extreme control created
was 62.7 mW/m(2) with a light
concentrated of 96 μE/(m(2)s). The
results showed that increasing light
intensity from 26 to 96 μE/(m(2)s) will
lead to increase of about 6- folds in the
power produced. Moreover, the
pigments created by the microalga were
analyzed and it was shown in the results
that light intensity and PAMFC
operation potentiated the
carotenogenesis within the cathode
compartment. The illustrated possibility
of producing added-value microalgae
biomass in microbial fuel cell cathodes
will increment the financial possibility of
these bioelectrochemical frameworks,
allowing the improvement of vitality
proficient frameworks for wastewater
treatment (Gouveia, 2014).
In accordance to the study of
Spohrer et. al (2018), an oxidation-
reduction (redox) reaction is a type of
chemical reaction that involves between
two species in transferring of electrons.
The two species that exchange electrons
in a redox reaction are oxidizing agent
(an ion that accepts electrons), and
reducing agent (the species that donates
electrons). To sum up, the reducing
agent is oxidized and the oxidizing agent
is reduced. The oxidation number of an
atom, molecule or ion change by
increasing and decreasing a percentage
of electrons. Redox reactions are vital to
people’s everyday life, including
respiration, photosynthesis, combustion
and corrosion or rusting.
Problem Statement
The study aims to investigate the
effectiveness of microbial fuel cell as an
alternative source of energy in terms of
the amount of voltage generated.
Hypothesis Statement
The Microbial fuel cell is
effective as an alternative source of
energy in terms of the voltage generated.
METHODOLOGY
Materials
• 1 Meter Stainless Steel mesh
• 6 Pieces Plastic containers
• 3 Meters Copper wire
• 2 Pieces Alligator clip
• 1.5 Kilos of Mud
• 4 Liters Distilled Water
• 2 Tablespoon of Salt
• 2 Meters Cotton Rope
• 1 Sealant
• 1 Piece Electrical Tape
• 1 Multimeter
Procedure
The procedures in making the
microbial fuel cell are the following:
The mud sample was
accumulated at the river in Poblacion
Oriental, Consolacion, Cebu City. It is
where you will find the
electrochemically active anaerobic
bacteria. The sample can be collected
from the bottom of a lake, river or creek.
Topsoil can also be used as sample
mixed with distilled water. Mud sample
was then placed in a container and cover.
While in making the salt bridge, salt was
used and dissolved in heat water over
stovetop. The cotton rope was soaked
in the salt water and covered by
electrical tape but exposing both ends of
the rope and inserted in the side of the
containers. On the other hand, for the
electrodes, folded stainless steel mesh
was both attached to the Strip ends off of
a copper wire. Furthermore, in the MFC
structure, plastic containers of the mud
(anode) and distilled water (cathode).
Holes were drilled on the lids of the
containers for the electrodes and holes
were drilled on the sides of the
containers for the salt bridge. The salt
bridge was then connected to the holes
and sealed with a sealant. Lastly, one
Result and Discussion
Table 1. Voltage and Current Test
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Table 1 shows the amount of
voltage generated by the microbial fuel
cell day by day. It shows that day one
has the highest voltage generated which
is 0.763 V and a current of 0.02 A, while
day 7 as the lowest which generated
0.386 V and a current of 0.01 A. The
table shows a descending order from day
1 to day 7 which depicts that the voltage
container was filled with mud while the
other was with the distilled water. The
electrodes were then submerged in the
mud and water and inserted the copper
wires into the drilled holes on the lids.
Alligator clips was attached to each
loose end of the copper wires.
Testing Process
The effectiveness of the
Microbial Fuel Cell was tested in terms
of the amount of voltage generated and
its current.
To test the amount of voltage
generated, a multimeter was used. The
researchers monitored the voltage
generated and current from microbial
fuel cell on a daily basis for 7 days.
VOLTAGE (V)
0.763 V
0.626 V
0.583 V
0.526 V
0.496 V
0.405 V
0.386 V
generated by the microbial fuel cell
decreases day by day.
 CONCLUSION and
RECOMMENDATION

Conclusion
Based on the findings, the
microbial fuel cell is an effective
alternative source of energy in terms of
the voltage generated and its current.
The generated voltage of the microbial
fuel cell is still low and it was observed
that the cell rapidly dropped down to a
low value. Due to lack of oxygen, the
generation of voltage consequently
slowed down the process. Thus, the
lifetime of the microbial fuel cell is
limited by the lifetime of bacteria within
the sample of mud.

Recommendation
The researchers recommend
more containers to be used to generate
greater power.
An oxygen pump can be added to
each of the cathodes to have a faster
generation of voltage.
Further researchers may use any
other organic waste material as long as
there are enough bacteria as a substitute
for the mud sample.
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