Sains Malaysiana 49(12)(2020): 3229-3241

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2020-4912-34

UKM2 Chlorella sp. Strain Electricity Performance as Bio-anode under Different Light Wavelength in a Biophotovoltaic Cell

(Prestasi Elektrik Strain UKM2 Chlorella sp. sebagai Bio-anod di bawah Gelombang Cahaya Berbeza dalam Sel Biofotovoltan)

AISYAH NADHIRAH JUHARI¹, MUHD SYAZWAN SHARANI², WAN RAMLI WAN DAUD^1,2, TAHEREH JAFARY³ & MIMI HANI ABU BAKAR¹*

¹Fuel Cell Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

²Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

³Process Engineering Department, International Maritime College, Sohar, Oman

Received: 17 August 2020/Accepted: 11 September 2020

ABSTRACT

A biophotovoltaic cell (BPV) is an electrobiochemical system that utilises a photosynthetic microorganism for instance is algae to trap sunlight energy and convert it into electricity. In this study, a local algae strain, UKM2 Chlorella sp. was grown in a BPV under different trophic conditions and light wavelengths. Once the acclimatisation phase succeeded, and biofilm formed, power generation by UKM2 algae at the autotrophic mode in synthetic Bold’s Basal media (BBM) under white, blue and red lights were tested. Polarisation and power curves were generated at these different conditions to study the bioelectrochemical performance of the system. Later, the condition switched to algal mixotrophic nutritional mode, with palm oil mill effluent (POME) as substrate. Maximum power generation obtained when using UKM2 in BBM under red light where a power density of 1.19 ± 0.16 W/m³ was obtained at 25.74 ± 3.89 A/m³ current density, while the open circuit voltage OCV reached 226.08 ± 8.71 mV. UKM2 in POME under blue light recorded maximum power density of 0.85 ± 0.18 W/m³ at current density of 16.75 ± 3.54 A/m³, while the OCV reached 214.05 ± 23.82 mV. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal reached an efficiency of 35.93%, indicating the ability of wastewater treatment and electricity generation in BPV at the same time

Keywords: Algae; bioelectricity; biophotovoltaic; monochromatic light

ABSTRAK

Sel biofotovoltan (BPV) ialah satu sistem elektrobiokimia yang menggunakan mikroorganisma fotosintetik seperti alga untuk memerangkap tenaga cahaya matahari dan menukarkannya kepada elektrik. Dalam kajian ini, UKM2 Chlorella sp. iaitu strain alga tempatan yang ditempatkan di dalam BPV yang berbeza keadaan trofik dan gelombang cahaya. Apabila fasa aklimatisasi telah berjaya dan biofilem telah terhasil, kuasa tenaga yang telah dihasilkan oleh alga UKM2 dalam mod autotrofik sintetik Bolds’s Basal Media (BBM) di bawah cahaya putih, biru, dan merah telah diuji. Lengkungan polarisasi dan lengkungan kuasa telah dihasilkan bagi keadaan yang berbeza-beza ini adalah untuk mengkaji pencapaian bioelektrokimia sistem tersebut. Setelah itu, keadaan tersebut diubah kepada alga mod campuran trofik nutrisi, dengan menggunakan sisa efluen minyak kelapa sawit sebagai substrat. Kuasa maksimum yang dihasilkan diperoleh menggunakan UKM2 di dalam BBM di bawah cahaya merah dengan ketumpatan kuasa sebanyak 1.19 ± 0.16 W/m³ telah diperoleh pada ketumpatan arus 16.75 ± 3.54 A/m³, manakala OCV pula mencecah sebanyak 226.08 ± 8.71 mV. Permintaan kimia oksigen (COD) yang dibuang mencapai tahap keefisienan sebanyak 35.93%, yang menunjukkan keupayaan untuk merawat sisa air buangan dan penghasilan elektrik pada BPV dalam pada masa yang sama.

Kata kunci: Alga; bioelektrik; biofotovoltan; cahaya monokromatik

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*Corresponding author; email: mimihani@ukm.edu.my