Electricity Production Potential of Microbial Fuel Cell from Sewage Sludge

The microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology has captured the attention of the scientific community for the possibility of transforming organic waste directly into electricity through microbial catalyzed anodic and microbial/enzymatic/abiotic cathode electrochemical reactions. The construction and analysis of MFCs requires knowledge of different scientific and engineering fields, ranging from microbiology and electrochemistry to materials and environmental engineering. A two - chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC) was constructed. There are two chambers, the anode and cathode chamber. The formal contains the sewage sludge while the later contains water, then a salt bridge connects the two chambers (half cells) to form a complete circuit, hence electricity would be harvested. The anode chamber supplied with some specific bacteria like Shewanella oneidensis which feeds on the decomposed matter and reduces metals to release positively charged ion, while the cathode chamber when aerated properly produces negatively charged ion, then the semi - permeable membrane complete the circuit by acting as the salt bridge. These positive and negatively charged ions were then harvested using copper wires and tested to reveal the presence of electrical current, while it was also able to clean sewage water. Current generated in volts from the cells on day one were higher (0.16 ? 0.12 volts) but decline as the day?s progresses (0.10 - 0.13 volt). Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) A2 was able to generate 0.21 Volts when agitated which is greater than its initial output of 0.15 Volts while MFCs A2 generated 0.16 Volts when aerated which is greater than its initial output of 0.12. This form of electric power generation is renewable, cheap, environmental friendly, that if properly harnessed would supplement the already available hydro and solar electricity to provide the teeming growing population adequate power supply for industrialization and innovations.