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Studies on agar salt bridge based dual chamber microbial fuel cells using sludge and dustbin waste

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Abstract

In the present study, the performance of dual chamber microbial fuel cells (MFC) was investigated employing sludges collected from drains, a textile effluent treatment plant, and the Buriganga river as the sources of microbes, while a mixed liquor prepared from dustbin waste and gruel was used as substrates for the growth of bacteria. Six experiments were carried out under aerobic conditions throughout the study and inspected for seven days. Agar salt bridge was used instead of the typical membrane for proton exchange. For analyzing the electrical parameters of the MFCs such as voltage, current density and power density were recorded for each experiment. Reduction of Biological Oxygen Demands (BOD5) of the sludges was also observed in this study. Regarding electrical performance, the Buriganga sludge afforded the best results demonstrating maximum voltage, current density, and power density as 244.88 mV, 35.16 mA/m2, and 8.61 mW/m2, respectively. However, the BOD5 reduction was found to be 50.15%, 43.64%, 47.32%, and 35.20% for sludges collected from a drain of a residential area, a textile effluent treatment plant, a tannery, and the Buriganga river, respectively. Counts of aerobic Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis in different sludges were also documented.

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Acknowledgements

The authors want to convey gratitude towards the Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Semiconductor Technology Research Centre (STRC), and Department of Botany and Centre for Advanced Research for Sciences (CARS) of the University of Dhaka for laboratory supports.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Energy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh

    Sheikh Shehab Uddin

  2. Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh

    Md. Mahidul Haque Prodhan

  3. Department of Applied Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh

    Mohammad Nurnabi

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  1. Sheikh Shehab Uddin
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Contributions

Sheikh Shehab Uddin: conducting experimental studies, formal analysis, and writing draft manuscript. Md. Mahidul Haque Prodhan: manuscript proofreading and editing draft manuscript. Mohammad Nurnabi: conceptualization, formal analysis, editing draft manuscript, and supervision.

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Correspondence to Mohammad Nurnabi.

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Uddin, S.S., Prodhan, M.M.H. & Nurnabi, M. Studies on agar salt bridge based dual chamber microbial fuel cells using sludge and dustbin waste. Biomass Conv. Bioref. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-024-05718-8

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