STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF ELECTRODE MATERIAL AND MICROBIAL CULTURE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC SEDIMENT MICROBIAL FUEL CELL (PSMFC)

• Main Author: Kemala Putri Kebaar, Meiryza
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Teknik kimia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/74090
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

The high demand for energy, including electricity, in Indonesia is increasing every year, and it occurs simultaneously with the increasing amount of palm oil production. In its development, palm oil production will produce waste in the form of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME). An alternative solution that can address the need for electrical energy and also reduce POME is the use of Photosynthetic Sediment Microbial Fuel Cell (PSMFC). This system is able to generate electricity in a sustainable manner with the help of microalgae as oxygen suppliers to the system and bacteria which will degrade organic sediments and donor electrons. Nevertheless, PSMFC's performance can still be optimized. The objective of the study was to review the effect of the electrode material measuring 16 cm2 and the type of microbes used on the performance of PSMFC. It was found that the highest OCV value was obtained when graphite sheets were used as both electrodes (227 mV), and the maximum power density and highest current were obtained when stainless steel was used as both electrodes, with POME mixed culture as the anodic microbe (0.312 mW/m2 and 6.33 µA, respectively). SEM analysis showed that biofilms formed more uniformly on graphite sheet electrodes and when POME mixed culture was used. FTIR analysis shows that there is algae buried on the anode side.