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Microbial Fuel Cells: A Feasible Source of Clean Energy, Water, and Waste Management

CSEF · 2012 Alternative Energy (Junior Division Only) Honorable_mention Award

Dhuvarakesh Karthikeyan · Iron Horse Middle School, San Ramon, Contra Costa County

Overview

Objectives/Goals My objective was to make a simple, cost-efficient, and effective microbial fuel cell that feeds on waste and produces electricity to address global problems such as: clean energy, sanitation, water, and waste-management. My goal in mind that I wished to achieve in this preliminary stage was a power production of 75mW, if any practicality in the future is to be met. Methods/Materials I used cost-efficient and readily available equipment in order to create a two-chamber microbial fuel cell. I built the microbial fuel cell (MFC) by epoxying the proton exchange membrane (PEM) to the airtight anode and cathode reactors. After this, I installed the inoculum of benthic mud samples and the fuel of my simulation of municipal solid waste (MSW) and sewage waste. Next, I tested to see which resistor yielded the highest power production in the MFC and used that resistor throughout the duration of the experiment. I let the microbial fuel cell run for five days, taking voltage and amperage readings using a digital multimeter every 12 hours, at 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Results The results recorded using the digital multimeter showed the microbial fuel cell produced averages for mW, mV, and mA of: 250.173 mW, 308.78 mV, and .73 mA, respectively. Conclusions/Discussion My conclusion is that the complex organic compounds in waste can be broken down to release meaningful amounts of electrical energy through the incorporation of a microbial fuel cell. This is shown through the actual MFC producing over 3 times as much power, 2 times as much voltage, and about 1.5 times as much amperage as the prediction that I previously made.

Summary statement

In my project, I used a microbial fuel cell to digest the organic compounds found in waste and generate electricity and clean water as products of the bacteria's metabolic activity.

Help received

Mother and Father helped collect the benthic mud samples; Science Teacher collaborated with me regarding the project

Awards (1)

  • Honorable Mention

Competition history

  • CSEF 2012 Alternative Energy (Junior Division Only) · Entry J0209

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