Microbial fuel cells clean wastewater

A team of researchers from Penn State University developed a microbial fuel cell that can simultaneously treat wastewater and generate electricity from organic matter. The group studied bacteria from anaerobic sludge grown on an acetate substrate in a two-chamber fuel cell. The culture was enriched with iron-reducing bacteria. Replacing the graphite electrode within an iron-oxide coated electrode increased maximum power density three fold. A methanogen inhibitor, 2-bromoethanesulfate, increated coulombic efficiency 40 to more than 80%. Applying bacteria as a paste also increased power density.