Enhonacement in Treatment of dairy Industorial Waste Water and Electricity Production using Graphite Electrode

Abstract

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) can be used for dairy waste treatment and bioelectricity production. MFC can act as ecofriendly and low cost management of energy production. In this study, microbial fuel cell uses the fuel source from the dairy waste (Paneer whey) biomass. The MFC was designed as two chambered that included an anaerobic anode and aerobic cathode compartment, and was separated from each other by nafion membrane. The anode and cathode electrodes were made from graphite felt hung with platinum wires. The bacterial mixed culture used was obtained from sewage of DDC enriched in LB broth and lactobacillus strains isolated from the fermented pickle. MFC showed a maximum open circuit voltage of 633mV and rendered maximum power of 25.869W/m 3 on the fifth day using the electrode coated with carbon nanotube (CNT) under 1000Ω external load. The dairy waste contained 1.8432 mg/L of reducing sugar, 0.23450 mg/L of phosphorous, 0.0359 mg/L of Ammonical-Nitrogen and 689.163 mg/L of COD before treatment. The treatment in microbial fuel cell resulted in reduction of reducing sugar by 95.06%, reduction of phosphorous by 65.67%, reduction of Ammonical- Nitrogen by 67.13% and reduction of COD by 58.27%. The anode chamber was inoculated with single strain of bacteria like Klebsiella, Lactobacillus and yeast Y2. Open circuit voltage in single strain of these bacteria and yeast were less than the mixed culture of bacterial strains (Klebsiella sps, Salmonella sps, E.coli, Pseudomonas sps and Lactobacillus sps). The power production using phosphate buffer in the mixed culture and lactobacillus strain was more than the power production using sodium acetate buffer. The MFC showed maximum power production of 22.621W/m 3 using the phosphate buffer mixed with potassium ferricyanide as a chemical oxidizer than the sodium acetate mixed with potassium ferricyanide. The cyclic voltammetry resulted that the MFC is reasonably stable and can be used for the energy production. The result showed that coating the graphite electrode with CNT has a huge potential regarding enhancement of production for bioelectricity and dairy waste water treatment. Keywords: Microbial fuel cell, Mixed culture, Carbon Nanotube, Cyclic voltammetry, Dairy waste treatment, Bioelectricity