Exploring the Untapped Possibilities of Wastewater Bacteria in Microbial Electrochemical Technology

Abstract

Energy is essential to modern civilization, yet using conventional energy sources like coal and petroleum puts the environment at danger. As a result, the need for sustainable energy alternatives is urgent. This research primarily investigates the potential of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) as an alternative energy source, with a specific focus on their ability to generate power using wastewater from the treatment plant at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria. The study screens a total of 50 isolates against a 200 mV benchmark in order to evaluate the bacteria's ability to produce energy from wastewater. In the experiment, Bacillus cereus turned out to be the top producer. Significantly, isolates with the labels 2, 3, A, and C showed encouraging outcomes; they reached peak voltages of 0.879, 0.841, 0.840, and 0.827 volts, in that order.