Symbiotic Power Generation: Investigating and Optimizing Microalgae-Microbial Fuel Cell for Enhanced Voltage Output

Overview

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate and optimize the use of Microalgae-Microbial Fuel Cells (mMFCs) for sustainable electricity production using cost-effective organisms: Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) and Chlorella vulgaris (microalgae). The research tested two primary hypotheses: first, that a symbiotic relationship between yeast and microalgae produces higher voltage than yeast alone; and second, that mMFCs utilizing highly concentrated C. vulgaris beads outperform those using cultured C. vulgaris. This approach aims to replace expensive mechanical aeration with biological cooperation. Procedure: Dual-chamber fuel cells were constructed to explore the symbiotic relationship between the two organisms. Voltage measurements were collected hourly for the initial 12 hours of the experiment. To assess long-term stability and performance, data collection continued at 8-hour intervals over a 256-hour period. Results: Trial B, which utilized microalgae beads, achieved the highest short-term voltage of 14.7 mV within the first 12 hours. However, over the full 256-hour duration, Trial C demonstrated superior performance, reaching a peak voltage of 55.0 mV and a peak power density of 0.582 mW/m², approximately double the control values. Notably, Trial C maintained 85% of this peak performance during the final 60 hours of the study. Conclusions: The results confirm that a symbiotic relationship enhances mMFC performance by recycling carbon dioxide and maintaining cathode oxygen levels. The sustained stability observed in Trial C is likely attributed to biofilm formation on the electrode. This study demonstrates that biological symbiosis is a viable alternative to fossil fuels and mechanical aeration in fuel cell technology.

Competition history

• CSEF 2026 Alternative Energy (Junior Division) · Entry J-01-11

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