Poster Presentation Australian Society for Microbiology Annual Scientific Meeting 2016

Bioelectricity production generated from pure algal microbial fuel cell (AMFC) (#313)

Chih-Yu Chen 1 , Ying-Chien Chung 2
  1. Department of Tourism and Leisure, Hsing Wu University, Taipei, Taiwan
  2. Department of Biological Science and Technology, China University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan

Electricity production via photoenergy capturing by microalgae in combination with microbial fuel cells are attractive because these systems could generate useful energy in a renewable method. An integrated algal microbial fuel cell (AMFC) system was developed by connecting an algal bioreactor based on Microcystis aeruginosa and a microbial fuel cell (MFC) inoculated electrochemically active bacteria (Aeromonas hydrophila) in series. Gas and liquid retention time for AMFC were 0.05 and 1.0 h, respectively. Liquid retention time and resistor between anode and cathode for MFC were 0.1 h and 100 Ω. This hybrid system achieves continuously renewable bioelectricity for 150 days at least. A maximum current density of 610 mA/m2 projected anode surface area and a maximum power production of 420 mW/m2 surface area are also demonstrated. The polarization data was in better agreement with single polarization curve. Furthermore, the energy recovery of the hybrid system can be increased by optimization of the photobioreactor, the reduction of the competition from non-electrochemically active microorganisms in MFC, or the increase in the electrode surface and establishment of a biofilm. Results demonstrate that the pure algae in AMFC are by far the best-established means of electricity generation from renewable sources.