Potentiality of Some Yeast Isolates for Electricity Generation from Sugarcane Molasses

Abstract

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are considered simple and robust technology in the field of wastewater treatment as well as electricity generation. The middle-term application can be foreseen at market value prices. This technology might become certified as a prospective new technology for the conversion of organic wastes to electricity. In the current study, a total of 40 yeast isolates were collected from 20 samples of sugarcane molasses. Twenty-one yeast isolates were examined for their potential to produce electricity from sugarcane molasses. All isolates had the ability to produce electricity. Four of them (isolates number: MY 9, MY10, MY18 and MY19 were considered as high producers. They yielded power densities of 59.858, 61.25, 52.8125 and 47.432 mW/m 2 , respectively. Yeast isolate MY10 from sugarcane molasses showed the highest power density (P) (61.25 mW/m 2 ), highest current (I) (0.175mA/m 2 ) and highest voltage (V) (350mV/m 2 ). This isolate was identified based on 18S rRNA sequences as Meyerozyma guilliermondii and deposited in the Gene bank nucleotide sequence database under accession numbers KY624417.