Two Chamber Microbial Fuel Cells for Electricity Generation Using Different Carbon Sources

Aim: Electricity generation from wastes using Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs).
Materials and Methods: Bacillus sp._1, Bacillus sp._3 Pseudomonas sp., and Citrobacter sp., isolated from soil sediment were used for electricity generation in sewage water, glucose, soil sediment and acetate containing medium under different incubation periods.
Results: Of the four isolates, generation of electricity started from 1 hour of incubation and reached maximum at 2h of incubation by Pseudomonas sp., and Bacillus sp., then declined but Citrobacter sp., showed gradual increase till stationary phase of growth. In glucose containing medium, during log phase of growth Bacillus sp._1, showed maximum of 336±0.4 mV. In non-supportive acetate medium Citrobacter sp., generated 316±0.3 mV during 1 h of incubation. Also in soil sediment medium Citrobacter sp., generated maximum of 160±1.2 mV during 5h of incubation.
Conclusion: It is recommended that a longer incubation period required in complex medium for electricity generation.