Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 22 No 3 (2018): 499 - 507

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MICROBIAL FUEL CELL’S PERFORMANCE USING THREE DIFFERENT ELECTRODES

(Kajian Perbandingan Bagi Prestasi Sel Bahan Bakar Mikrob Menggunakan Tiga Elektrod yang Berbeza)

Khairul Baqir Alkhair^1,3*, Oskar Hasdinor Hassan², Sharifah Aminah Syed Mohamed¹,Yap Kian Chung Andrew³, Zulkifli Ab. Rahman³, Tunku Ishak Tunku Kudin¹,Ab. Malik Marwan Ali^1,4, Mohd Zu Azhan Yahya⁵,

Muhammad Haikal Zainal¹

¹Faculty of Applied Science

²Faculty of Art and Design

Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

³Milling and Processing Unit, Enginering and Processing Research Division,

Malaysian Palm Oil Board, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

⁴Institute of Science,

Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

⁵Faculty of Defence Science and Technology,

Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia, 57000 Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

*Corresponding author: oskar@salam.uitm.edu.my

Received: 4 December 2016; Accepted: 1 December 2017

Abstract

Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) is an alternative method of renewable energy which have gained considerable attention due to its capability to generate electricity and treat wastewater such as palm oil mill effluent (POME). MFC’s mechanism on its electrochemical process is still lacking and further studies is needed. The objectives of this study are (1) to determine the compatibility of MFC device in generating electricity by using three different electrodes and (2) to study the effect of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to MFC’s performance. In this work, the MFC device is associated with 3 different electrodes which are carbon brush (CB), carbon cloth (CC) and pre-treated carbon cloth (PCC) on its anode chamber. There are 2 types of substrates used in this experiment which are POME with the presence of bacteria (POME+) and POME without bacteria in it (POME-). The experiment was carried out for 120 hours and its power generation was monitored. The experimental result shows that PCC with POME+ yielded the highest power density of 49.88 mW/m² at 27 hours as compared to the others. In addition, CC with POME- has the highest chemical oxygen demand (COD) deduction which indicates the POME treatment was deducted by 45.93%. NaOH affected the performance of MFC but is insignificant to influence the redox reaction of MFC.

Keywords: bio-electricity, fuel cell, wastewater treatment

Abstrak

Sel Bahan Bakar Mikrob (MFC) merupakan kaedah alternatif tenaga boleh diperbaharui yang mendapat perhatian yang baik kerana kemampuannya menjana elektrik dan merawat air kumbahan seperti sisa kilang minyak sawit (POME). Mekanisma MFC bagi proses elektrokimia masih kurang dan kajian lanjut diperlukan. Objektif kajian ini adalah (1) menentukan kesesuaian peranti MFC dalam menghasilkan elektrik dengan menggunakan tiga elektrod yang berbeza dan (2) untuk mengkaji kesan natrium hidroksida (NaOH) kepada prestasi MFC. Dalam kerja ini, peranti MFC dikaitkan dengan 3 elektroda yang berbeza iaitu berus karbon (CB), kain karbon (CC) dan pra rawatan kain karbon (PCC) di ruang anodnya. Terdapat 2 jenis substrat yang digunakan dalam eksperimen ini iaitu POME dengan kehadiran bakteria (POME+) dan POME tanpa bakteria di dalamnya (POME-). Eksperimen ini dijalankan selama 120 jam dan penjanaan kuasanya dipantau. Keputusan eksperimen menunjukkan bahawa PCC dengan POME+ menghasilkan ketumpatan kuasa tertinggi 49.88 mW/m²pada 27 jam berbanding yang lain. Di samping itu, CC dengan POME- mempunyai permintaan oksigen kimia (COD) tertinggi yang menunjukkan rawatan POME berjaya sebanyak 45.93%. NaOH mempengaruhi prestasi MFC tetapi tidak signifikan untuk mempengaruhi tindak balas redoks MFC.

Kata kunci: bio-elektrik, sel bahan bakar, rawatan air kumbahan

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