Production of electricity from proteins using a microbial fuel cell.
Electricity generation was examined from proteins and a protein-rich wastewater using a single chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC). The maximum power densities achieved were 354 +/- 10 mW/m2 using bovine serum albumin (BSA) and 269 +/- 14 mW/m2 using peptone (1100 mg/L BSA and 300 mg/L peptone). The recovery of organic matter as electricity, defined as the Coulombic efficiency (CE), was comparable to that obtained with other substrates with CE = 20.6% for BSA and CE = 6.0% for peptone. A meat packing wastewater (MPW), diluted to 1420 mg/L chemical oxygen demand, produced 80 +/- 1 mW/m2, and power was increased by 33% by adding salt (300 mg/L sodium chloride) to increase solution conductivity. A wastewater inoculum generated 33% less power than the MPW inoculum. The MFC was an effective method of wastewater treatment, demonstrated by >86% of biochemical oxygen demand and total organic carbon removal from wastewater.
Heilmann
Jenna
J
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Penn State University, University Park 16802, USA.
Logan
Bruce E
BE
D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000382:microbiology; D003246:Conservation of Energy Resources / Q000379:methods; D004560:Electricity; D008462:Meat-Packing Industry; D010461:Peptones / Q000378:metabolism; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000378:metabolism; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*
D010461:Peptones; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine