Treatment of Industrial Wastewater and Energy Production Using Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC)

This study demonstrates the dual functionality of Microbial Fuel Cells in simultaneously treating sugar industry wastewater and generating bioelectricity. The key conclusions drawn from the 20-day experimental study are as follows: •              A maximum BOD₅ removal efficiency of 55% was achieved, confirming significant organic load reduction. •              Total Solids removal efficiency improved from 48.6% to 64.89%, and Dissolved Solids removal reached 56.59%. •              Current output increased from 0 to 3.71 mA and voltage from 0.22 V to 2.97 V over the full operational period, demonstrating the feasibility of bioelectricity generation from sugar mill effluent. •              The pH of the anode chamber remained in the range of 4.52–5.72, maintaining favorable conditions for electrogenic microbial activity throughout the study. •              Alkalinity reduction of approximately 23.27% was observed, consistent with proton migration across the salt bridge and microbial proton consumption. •              The agar-NaCl salt bridge proved to be a cost-effective and functional alternative to proton exchange membranes (PEM) for laboratory-scale MFC operation.   Overall, the results confirm that MFC technology holds significant potential as a sustainable, eco-friendly, and dual-purpose solution for the management of agro-industrial wastewater. Future work should focus on optimizing electrode materials, exploring proton exchange membranes, and scaling up the system for pilot-level application in sugar mill settings.

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