Renewable Electricity Production from Tofu Wastewater and Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) via Microbial Fuel Cell
Abstract
Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology is a renewable energy solution that offers multiple benefits, including environmental friendliness, direct electricity generation, and wastewater treatment. In wastewater treatment, MFCs convert organic matter into electricity while simultaneously treating wastewater. This study investigated a double-chamber MFC using tofu wastewater and palm oil mill effluent (POME) as substrates. A carbon-based material served as the electrode in a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). The results revealed that the MFC generated voltages of 546 mV and 876 mV for tofu wastewater and POME, respectively. The highest power and current densities measured were 12.45 mW/m² and 25.87 mA/m² for tofu wastewater, and 25.22 mW/m² and 52.8 mA/m² for POME. Furthermore, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies were 52.7% for tofu wastewater and 56.7% for POME. These findings demonstrate the potential of MFC technology for power generation using tofu wastewater and POME, making it a promising approach for sustainable energy and wastewater treatment.
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