Evaluating the effectiveness of rotten rice to bioremediate formaldehyde with power generation through a microbial fuel cell

Abstract

One of the current challenges confronting the microbial fuel cell (MFC) is the unstable organic substrate for microbial species, which results in poor electron generation. This work utilized the rotten rice as an organic substrate in the MFC to promote microbial species activity, eliminate the organic pollutant formaldehyde, and increase power generation capacity. Only a few research used rice waste as an organic substrate in MFC, and they were solely applicable to hazardous metal removal. The study was conducted in a single-chambered MFC over a 30-day period. The voltage generation of the MFC was monitored daily, while formaldehyde removal was monitored at regular intervals. After the operation, the electrodes were biologically examined to determine the influence of the microbial species. The bioremediation efficiency of formaldehyde was 71% which was achieved in 30 operational days. The maximum voltage from the system was recorded on day 20 and was found to be 394 mV. This study presented the reaction process of rotten rice oxidation in the cell. Furthermore, the formaldehyde removal and electron generation degradation mechanisms are detailed. The study suggests that the rotten rice is a suitable organic substrate for the microbial species in MFC.