Vol. 24, No. 3 (2025), Bio25582 https://doi.org/10.24275/rmiq/Bio25582

Dog feces with glucose-feed were the most effective to produce electricity in microbial fuel cells

 

Authors

N. Gómez-Flores, Y.S. Perea-Vélez, R. Carrillo-González, J.E. Corona-Sánchez, D. Tapia-Maruri, MCA González-Chávez

Abstract

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) generate electricity through microbial metabolism, which is an efficient, renewable, and sustainable biological alternative for domestic and potential commercial applications. Mine wastes and dog feces are common and abundant residues contributing to environmental pollution and human health concerns. This study analyzed the production of electricity by using mine waste, dog feces, and vermicompost as MFC feedstocks and tested two sources of carbon (saccharose and glucose) as co-substrates in the feeding solution. Dog feces produced the longest current output (41 days), the maximum voltage per day (0.33 V), and the highest cumulative power density (15 W cm-3). Dog feces with glucose generated the highest power density (5.6 to 15 W cm-3), while saccharose and mine waste produced a maximum current output of 0.24 V day-1 and a cumulative power density of ~8 W cm-3. There were changes in the mine waste-metal concentration. MFC can be a practical solution to the aged environmental concern of the disposal of wastes, especially dog feces. Moreover, it may participate in the removal of Zn present in mine wastes. It may help the worldwide energy crisis, but several aspects must be optimized to bring it to the commercial level.

Keywords

Bioelectrochemical hybrid technology, Microbial electro-remediation, Mine residues.

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