New Report Examines Using Microbial Fuel Cells to Generate Wastewater Energy
Researchers recently realized that some microbes found in activated sludge cultures shed electrons. By promoting the growth of these cultures in the lab, these microbial fuel cells can actually generate current which can be captured at an anode like a battery. One of the first researchers to develop this concept was Bruce Logan, a 2004 Paul L. Busch award recipient. He developed the microbial fuel cell concept using bacteria which feed on carbon and has scaled his system up from the lab to be able to treat winery waste at full scale.
While domestic wastewater plants have not yet employed this concept to treat wastewater and generate power, there is considerable interest in this promising idea. WERF researcher Dr. Nancy Love examined nitrifying bacteria and explored the possibility that microbial fuels cells can be better performers. Her research is now available in the new WERF report Development of a Microbial Fuel Cell for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment (No. U1R06). More research is ongoing under WERF’s Optimization program to scale microbial fuel cells up to pilot-sized treatment of domestic wastewater.
For more information on this research, please contact WERF Program Director Lauren Fillmore.
