Application of response surface methodology for bioenergy generation in a yeast-based microbial fuel cell

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) provide a solution to valorise wastewater for energy generation. Wastewater containing oxytetracycline (OTC), an antibiotic, was treated in a yeast-based H-type MFC to obtain bioenergy. The effect of bakery yeast amount, initial OTC concentration, and NaCl concentration in an anodic chamber was investigated and optimum operating conditions were statistically determined via Box–Behnken design. The highest generated power was measured to be 219.3 mW m⁻² using 3 g L⁻¹ of bakery yeast, 0.003 M of OTC solution, and 0.006 M of NaCl in the anodic chamber, and experimental data showed a good fit to the model with higher R-sq values. The most important operating parameter was found to be the square of the initial OTC concentration, and this factor, as well as the amount of bakery yeast, has a main effect on the performance of yeast-based MFCs. Almost 70% of TOC removal was achieved under optimum reaction conditions.