Journal of Energy Research and Environmental Technology (JERET)

p-ISSN: 2394-1561; e-ISSN: 2394-157X; Volume 3, Issue 2; April-June, 2016; pp. 127-130
© Krishi Sanskriti Publications
http://www.krishisanskriti.org/Publication.html

An Approach for Electricity Generation using

Microbial Fuel Cell Technology:
A Green Energy Initiative
Ajay Agarwal1, Gaurav Verma2, Yogesh Singh3, Anjali Kumari4, Sanjeev Kumar5, Om Ji Agnihotri6, Sushmita7,
Nishika Sabharwal8, Akshay Jha9, Mansi Singh10, Pawan Kumar11, Inderbir Kaur12,
Ruchi Gulati Marwah13, Geeta Mongia14 and Avinashi Kapoor15
1-10
Student Research Group, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, University of Delhi,
11
Department of Instrumentation, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, University of Delhi
12,14
Department of Electronics, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, University of Delhi
13
Department of Microbiology, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, University of Delhi
15
Department of Electronic Science, South Campus, University of Delhi

Abstract—The most challenging issue today is production of clean India, 72% of total Electricity Generation is done by non-
yet sustainable sources of alternate and renewable energy as non- renewable power plants and remaining 28% by renewable
renewable sources of energy like petrol, oil, etc. are short lived, power plants [2]. These non-renewable energy sources are
expensive and pollute the environment. To address these concerns, a limited, costly and highly environment polluting. In order to
major effort has been made towards clean and green electricity
generation through Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) technology. MFC is a
build a sustainable society for our future generations, while
bio-electrochemical device designed for the purpose of electricity simultaneously fulfilling the needs of increased demand of
generation in the process of wastewater treatment. It consists of four electricity, we require less dependency on fossil fuels and
parts, (1) Anode chamber filled with organic matter (anaerobic alternative cheap renewable sources of energy. Although,
condition), (2) Cathode chamber filled with water (aerobic there exists various renewable sources of energy like wind,
condition), (3) Proton selective membrane separating two chambers solar, geothermal, tides, biomass, etc.[3-5] yet one of the
and (4) external circuit connecting anode and cathode. emerging, promising and practical sources of renewable
Decomposition of organic matter by bacteria produces electrons that energy is a Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) that harnesses the
flow through external circuit and protons that pass through power of bacteria to generate electricity from wastes water or
membrane thereby producing electricity. In the present work, waste
water samples were collected from various locations and analysed
sewage. The concept of Microbial Fuel Cell started back in
for various parameters such as pH, Biological Oxygen Demand 1911 by M.C. Potter, a Botany professor at the University of
(BOD) and Colony forming Unit per ml (CFU/ml). A MFC was Durham. MFCs can be Mediated or Mediator-less [6].
constructed and the collected sewage samples were used to determine Unmediated or mediator-less MFCs emerged in 1970’s
the power generating ability of bacteria present inherently in the whereas Mediated MFCs were first demonstrated in early 20th
samples. Useful open circuit voltage was measured, which ensures century[7]. Bacteria in MFC breakdowns the organic matter
MFC to be the one of the promising technology of future for cost present in the waste water or sewage under anaerobic
effective clean electricity generation. MFC has various applications conditions thus generating electrons and H+ ions which move
such as energy source for small electronic devices, bio-sensor for through different paths and produce electricity. Due to
BOD measurement, wastewater treatment, hydrogen production, etc.
degradation of organic matter, MFC simultaneously clean the
1. INTRODUCTION waste water or sewage. Thus, MFCs can bring down the waste
water treatment cost to negligible. The Microbial Fuel Cell,
In today’s Smart Hi-Tech Modern World, life is next to which was a novelty in Science fair, is now a developing
impossible without electricity. Due to rapid increase in reality and an ideal solution for sustainable, renewable and
demand of electricity, the world is going to face a grave carbon-neutral source of energy at reasonable cost. A
energy crisis in future owing to the depletion of non- continuous research is going on to use MFCs in various
renewable energy resources [1]. Statistics reveals that per applications such as Power Generation, Biosensors,
capita electricity consumption in India has reached to production of Hydrogen fuel, etc. [8, 9].
1010KWh in year 2014-15 compared to 957 KWh and 915
KWh in year 2013-14 and 2012-13, respectively. Presently, in
128 Ajay Agarwal, Gaurav Verma, Yogesh Singh, Anjali Kumari, Sanjeev Kumar, Om Ji Agnihotri, Sushmita, Nishika Sabharwal,
Akshay Jha, Mansi Singh, Pawan Kumar, Inderbir Kaur, Ruchi Gulati Marwah, Geeta Mongia and Avinashi Kapoor

2. WORKING OF MFC 3. EXPERIMENTAL WORK

MFC converts the energy released due to metabolic activities The prototype of MFC was fabricated and open circuit voltage
of respiring bacteria present in the sewage or similar waste (VOC) was measured using digital multimeter fordifferent
water into electricity. Under Anaerobic condition, the waste water samples collected from Delhi-NCR, India. At the
decomposition of organic matter by the bacteria results in same time, collected samples were alsoanalysed for various
generation of electrons, H+ ions and CO2 as depicted by the parameters i.e. Colony Forming Unit per ml (CFU/ml),
chemical reaction in Equation 1[9, 10]. Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and pH.
C2H4O2 + 2H2O → 2CO2 + 8H+ + 8e− …….(Eq. 1) Fabrication of MFC
Produced electrons are transferred to the cathode compartment Many different configurations of MFC’s are possible. A
through an external electric circuit, while protons are widely used and inexpensive design is a two chamber MFC
transferred to the cathode compartment through the built in a traditional “H” shape which consists of two glass
membrane. Electrons and protons are consumed in the cathode bottles (chambers) connected by a tube containing a highly
compartment, combining with oxygen to form water as selective membrane called Cation Exchange Membrane
depicted by the chemical reaction in Equation 2 [9, 10]. (CEM) or Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM).The prototype
2O2 + 8H+ + 8e− → 4H2O …………………(Eq. 2) of MFC was constructed on the same lines as that of Bio-
photovoltaic cell (BPV) from our earlier research [13] and is
Organic matter serves as food for bacteria (in the anode shown in Fig. 2.
compartment) from which they derive energy needed for their
survival[11, 12]. If the generated electrons in anode chamber Constructed prototype of MFC consisted of the following four
are transferred to anode directly without help of any external parts: (1)Anode chamber (Left chamber): which holds the
agent then the MFCs are called as Unmediated or Mediator carbon electrode, waste water (consisting of bacteria and
Less MFCs. Bacteria in this case makes film on the surface of organic matter) in an anaerobic environment, (2)Cathode
anode called biofilm for direct and faster transfer of electron chamber (Right chamber): which holds carbon electrode, a
or some bacteria have pilli on their surface that act as the conductive saltwater solution; (3)Proton Exchange Membrane
conducting nanowires that serves as channel for electrons (Nafion-117), which separates the anode and cathode and
towards anode surface. If external agents like methylene blue, allows protons to move between the two chambers and (4) an
Potassium ferricyanide, Theonine, Neutral red are deliberately external circuit, which allows a path for electrons to travel
added into anodic chamber to improve the e-transfer rate to from anode to cathode. In the present work, open circuit
anode, then the MFCs are called as Mediated or Mediator voltage is measured with the multimeter which is connected in
MFCs [4, 5]. These agents act as electron shuttle and helps in the external circuit.
the transfer of electron from within the cell membrane of
bacteria to anode surface but these are toxic and expensive
thereby increasing the overall cost of MFCs [6].The MFC and
its working are depicted in the Fig. 1[9].

Fig. 2: Constructed Prototype of MFC

The most versatile electrode material for both anode and

cathode is carbon as it has good conductivity, relatively
inexpensive and easy to handle [9, 14]. Materials like, non-
corrosive stainless steel mesh, copper etc. can be utilized as
Fig. 1: Working of MFC anode electrodes. But stainless steel is comparatively costly
and copper is also not very useful as even traces of copper
ions can be highly toxic to bacteria. There exists a variety of

Journal of Energy Research and Environmental Technology (JERET)

p-ISSN: 2394-1561; e-ISSN: 2394-157X; Volume 3, Issue 2; April-June, 2016
An Approach for Electricity Generation using Microbial Fuel Cell Technology: A Green Energy Initiative 129

PEM’s apart from Nafion such as Ultrex, Zirfon, Hyflon, etc. pH0: pH on0th day, pH5: pH on 5th dayin sample from MFC, VOCM:
each having unique properties [9]. These membranes only Max Open Circuit Voltage
allow protons, to pass through but not the substrate (in the (*S1:Sample 1, Lawrence Road Industrial Area, New Delhi)
anode chamber) or electron acceptor (in the cathode chamber, (**S2: Sample 2 (Phase I), Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP),
Mayapuri, New Delhi)
typically oxygen). The membrane is clamped in the middle of **S3: Sample 3(Phase II), Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP),
the tube connecting the two chambers. An alternative and an Mayapuri, New Delhi)
inexpensive way to join the bottles is to use a glass tube that is The BOD came in the range of 18-71mg/litre and the CFU/ml of the
heated and bent into a U-shape, filled with agar and salt (salt sewage sample came out in the range of 3.5x106 to 5.5x109. These
bridge functions as a Cation Exchange Membrane) and values of the sewage samples were found to be suitable for use in the
inserted through the lid of each bottle. The salt bridge MFC MFC.
however, produces little power due to the high internal
resistance[15]. 5. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
CFU/ml Measurement The constructed prototype in our work was mediator less MFC
as no external mediators were added to the sewage samples.
The microbial load of the sewage water samples was assessed Observed results revealed that pH decreased (sample becomes
by CFU/ml using spread plate method. The sewage samples neutral) as the bacteria decomposed the organic matter in the
were diluted in normal saline upto 107 dilutions and 0.1 ml of sewage samples. The samples with higher BOD gave better
each dilution was plated on nutrient agar plates. The plates electricity generation as shown the table. Higher BOD
were incubated for 18-24 hours at 37°C. The number of signifies more organic content in the given sewage sample,
colonies was formed on each of the plates and CFU/ml was thus more generation of electrons and H+ ions on
calculated. decomposition and hence more electricity generation (or VOC).
BOD Measurement A moderate amount of voltage was generated using sewage
samples collected from Delhi-NCR regions. The results
The volume of 5ml of the sewage sample was built up to presented in this paper are a preliminary investigation on the
300ml (dilution factor of 60) with fresh distilled water in electricity generating potential of bacteria inherently present in
300ml BOD bottle made of glass and it was tightly stoppered waste waters. Detailed investigations are being carried out by
as well as completely covered with aluminium foil. The changing the type of CEM, electrodes etc. to enhance the
dissolved oxygen (DO) of the diluted sample was recorded (0 voltage generated and to increase the practical feasibility of
day reading) with probe based digital DO meter (Hanna the technology. This technique can reduce waste water
Instruments Co. Ltd.) and then kept at 28°C in a BOD treatment plant operating costs if used in conjunction with
incubator for 5 days. DO was again measured on the 5th day. waste water treatment on site, making it an affordable venture
Thus, BOD was calculated using the formula of Equation 3: especially for developing countries like India [16].
BOD DO DO ∗ P………………(Eq. 3) 6. ACKNOWLEDGMENT:
DO0:Dissolved oxygen in diluted sample on 0th day
This research work was carried out at Bhaskaracharya College
DO5:Dissolved oxygen in diluted sample on 5th day of Applied Sciences under DU Innovation project (2015-16).
P Dilution factor
We are thankful to University of Delhi for providing financial

support for the project.
pH Measurement
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Journal of Energy Research and Environmental Technology (JERET)

p-ISSN: 2394-1561; e-ISSN: 2394-157X; Volume 3, Issue 2; April-June, 2016
130 Ajay Agarwal, Gaurav Verma, Yogesh Singh, Anjali Kumari, Sanjeev Kumar, Om Ji Agnihotri, Sushmita, Nishika Sabharwal,
Akshay Jha, Mansi Singh, Pawan Kumar, Inderbir Kaur, Ruchi Gulati Marwah, Geeta Mongia and Avinashi Kapoor

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Journal of Energy Research and Environmental Technology (JERET)

p-ISSN: 2394-1561; e-ISSN: 2394-157X; Volume 3, Issue 2; April-June, 2016