PERFORMANCE OF MFC FOR BIOELECTRICITY GENERATION AND SIMULTANEOUS WASTEWATER TREATMENT USING NANOCOATED ELECTRODE

Electricity is essential for economic progress, but many areas, including Nigeria, struggle with issues related to an unstable power supply and environmental pollution. These waste streams pose significant environmental challenges as they can contaminate water sources and emit greenhouse gases. This research examines the use of a nano-coated microbial fuel cell (MFC) for electricity generation from wastewater. For this study, double-chamber microbial fuel cells were constructed using plastic containers, graphite electrodes, wastewater, buffer solution, resistors, and connecting wires. Each MFC setup with Glitre capacity contained 3.5 liters of wastewater on the anode side and 3.5 liters of buffer solution on the cathode side. A salt bridge made of agar-agar separated the anode and cathode. The produced nano-catalysts were characterized, and the physico-chemical properties of the two wastewater samples were determined before being used in the microbial fuel cells. Once the experiment was completed, the two wastewater samples were treated, and the percentage removal of chemical oxygen demand was calculated, which amounted to 70%. Voltage was measured using a digital multimeter, and current and power were derived using Ohm’s law. The results showed that abattoir wastewater yielded the highest performance, with a maximum voltage of 0.89 mV, current of 0.0089 mA, and power of 0.0079 mW. In conclusion, this study underscores the potential of nanotechnology-enhanced MFCs as a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable solution for energy generation and wastewater treatment. By leveraging industrial wastewater and nanocoated electrodes, this approach addresses critical energy and environmental challenges. Future work should focus on scaling up the system and exploring its application in diverse wastewater sources for broader impact.