Microbial fuel cells generate electricity through the metabolism of microbes. The microbes oxidize organic matter at the anode, releasing electrons and protons. Electrons flow through an external circuit to the cathode, producing an electrical current. Protons flow through a membrane to the cathode. At the cathode, oxygen or another electron acceptor reacts with the electrons and protons to form water. This document discusses the operating mechanisms and conditions that affect power generation in microbial fuel cells, such as microbe type, substrate concentration, ionic strength, membrane type, pH, temperature, and reactor configuration. It also describes an experiment using effluent water from a pharmaceutical industry to power a microbial fuel cell without additional substrate or membrane.

1. MICROBIAL FUEL CELL
A FUTURE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE FROM WASTE

2. Overall Mechanism
• Microbes oxidise org. matter due to which electrons
and protons are released.
• Electronsflowtothecathodethroughexternalcircutpro
ducingelectricalcurrent.
• Protonsflowthroughmembranetothecathode.
• O2 (or any other electron acceptor) reactswith
electrons and protons forming water.
• Anode chamber is anaerobicand there should be an
electron acceptor in cathode chamber.
• We used KCl electrolyte Salt Bridge instead of
membrane.
Anode
𝐶𝐻3 𝐶𝑂𝑂
−
+2𝐻2 𝑂 → 2𝐶𝑂2 + 7𝐻
+
+8𝑒
−
Cathode
𝑂2 + 4 e
−
+4H
+
→ 2𝐻2 𝑂

3. Microbes used in MFCs

4. Comparison of studies

5. Operating Conditions
Power generation of an MFC is affected by many factors:
 Microbe type
 Fuel biomass type and concentration
 Ionic strength
 Membrane type
 Ph
 Temperature
 Reactor configuration (space between electrodes)

6. Apparatus

7. Experimented Readings for Effluent water
from an Pharma industry
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5
VOLTAGE GENERATION (mV)
mV

8. Operating Conditions for Our Setup
1. Room Temperature
2. Microbes already present in chemical Effluent water
3. Carbon Electrodes
4. Salt Bridge with KCl electrolyte instead of Proton Exchange Membrane.
5. pH 6-8
6. Oxygen used as electron acceptor
7. Later used Curd in Anode compartment containing lactobacillus
plantarum bacteria.
8. No extra substrate added

9. Conclusion
Microbial fuel cell is a good renewable source of energy useful to meet some
demands of energy in future. Though it has some limitations it will be
improved in forthcoming years and by use of MFC’s alongwith other
Renewable sources like Solar, Tidal, Hydro etc. we can make our energy
sources cleaner and greener. By experimenting without fulfilling neccessary
requirements regarding type of microbe used, mediator , substrate and
Proton exchange membrane some energy is produced which shows that it
can be used without any prerequirement and thus negligible operation cost
Hence my project may be somehow useful in future and for us & our
Mother Nature.

10. THANK YOU