Composite vegetable waste as renewable resource for bioelectricity generation through non-catalyzed open-air cathode microbial fuel cell

Single chambered mediatorless microbial fuel cell (MFC; non-catalyzed electrodes) was operated to evaluate the potential of bioelectricity generation from the treatment of composite waste vegetables (EWV) extract under anaerobic microenvironment using mixed consortia as anodic biocatalyst. The system was operated with designed synthetic wastewater (DSW; 0.98 kg COD/m(3)-day) during adaptation phase and later shifted to EWV and operated at three substrate load conditions (2.08, 1.39 and 0.70 kg COD/m(3)-day). Experimental data illustrated the feasibility of bioelectricity generation through the utilization of EWV as substrate in MFC. Higher power output (57.38 mW/m(2)) was observed especially at lower substrate load. The performance of MFC was characterized based on the polarization behavior, cell potentials, cyclic voltammetric analysis and sustainable resistance. MFC operation also documented to stabilize the waste by effective removal of COD (62.86%), carbohydrates (79.84%) and turbidity (55.12%). (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.