KINETIC REMOVAL OF ORGANIC POLLUTANTS FROM PRETREATED EDIBLE OIL REFINERY EFFLUENT BY MICROBIAL FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY

• Main Author: Ncube, kudakwashe
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Teknik saniter dan perkotaan; teknik perlindungan lingkungan
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/84454
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

The disposal of effluent from edible oil refineries is continuously presenting a significant environmental challenge due to a complex mixture of organic compounds and various hazardous chemicals, despite the substantial removal in fats, oils, and grease, in the onsite pretreatment process. Conventional treatment methods have been affected by factors like high energy consumption, high costs, and the production of sludge thereby raising the need for an innovative and sustainable solution to address this problem. Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology is an emerging and promising alternative for the treatment of industrial effluent while harnessing the potential of microorganisms to convert organic matter into electricity while simultaneously removing pollutants. In this study, a dual chamber MFC was employed to assess the kinetic removal efficiency of organic pollutants from pretreated effluent with the assumption that the Fats, oils, and Grease were efficiently removed in the pretreatment stage leaving an insignificant amount. The efficiency of the MFC reactor was analyzed for effluent treatment through COD removal efficiency and kinetic models and power generation through current density, power density, and Coulombic efficiency (CE). The reactor was operated for 80 days including 44 days of seeding and the remaining for operation in batch cycle variations of 5000 mg/L, 8000 mg/L, and 11000 mg/L. The anodic COD removal efficiencies for each measured concentration i.e., 5000 mg/L, 8000 mg/L, and 11000 mg/L were 83%, 79%, and 78% respectively, whilst the cathodic removal efficiency was 97%,95%, and 89% respectively. The first-order kinetic removal rates for the anodic variations of 5000 mg/L, 8000 mg/L, and 11000 mg/L were 0.3024 days -1, 0.2014 days -1, and 0.2884 days -1, whereas in the cathode it was 0.61 day-1, 0.47 day -1, and 0.38 day -1. The maximum voltage, power density, current density and coulombic efficiency (CE) for 5000 mg/L were (0.413 V, 64.5 mA/m², 26.65 mW/m², and 0.53 %), and for 8000 mg/L (0.363 V, 56.7 mA/m², 20.6 mW/m² and 0.27 %), whilst for 11000 mg/L were (as 0.336 V, 52.5 mA/m² and 17.64 mW/m² and 0.15 %). Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis emphasized conductivity and temperature as important predictor values for the MFC performance variables or rather the most significant factors affecting kinetic removal efficiency.