Electricity generation from a PEM microbial fuel cell

A microbial fuel cell (MFC) at laboratory scale was used for the generation of electricity. The cell consisted of two compartments separated by a proton exchange membrane (PEM). Carbon paper electrodes and an aqueous catholyte supplied with air to provide dissolved 02 to the electrode were used. The power generation in the MFC, was due to the presence of bacteria as biocatalysts in the anode chamber The ' bacteria were obtained from a mixed anaerobic type enteric inoculum, using synthetic wastewater as substrate. The. influence of temperature and pH on the performance of the MFC was determined. The highest current densities, of 640 and 336mW.M-2, were obtained at the mesophilic temperature 35 5'C and pH between 5 and 6, using resistances of 600 and 1000Q, respectively. The coulombic efficiency obtained was. 59.8%. Such systems are attractive for electricity generation, at the same time that they disintegrate the organic fraction of waste water