scholarly journals Bioelectricity Production from Blueberry Waste

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1301
Author(s):  
Segundo Rojas-Flores ◽  
Santiago M. Benites ◽  
Magaly De La Cruz-Noriega ◽  
Luis Cabanillas-Chirinos ◽  
Fiorela Valdiviezo-Dominguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Molecular Biology ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Organic Waste ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Candida Boidinii ◽  
Maximum Power Density ◽  
Copper Electrodes ◽  
Peak Conductivity

Global warming and the increase in organic waste from agro-industries create a major problem for the environment. In this sense, microbial fuel cells (MFC) have great potential for the generation of bioelectricity by using organic waste as fuel. This research produced low-cost MFC by using zinc and copper electrodes and taking blueberry waste as fuel. A peak current and voltage of 1.130 ± 0.018 mA and 1.127 ± 0.096 V, respectively, were generated. The pH levels were acid, with peak conductivity values of 233. 94 ± 0.345 mS/cm and the degrees Brix were descending from the first day. The maximum power density was 3.155 ± 0.24 W/cm2 at 374.4 mA/cm2 current density, and Cándida boidinii was identified by means of molecular biology and bioinformatics techniques. This research gives a new way to generate electricity with this type of waste, generating added value for the companies in this area and helping to reduce global warming.

scholarly journals Natural Wolframite Used as Cathode Photocatalyst for Improving the Performance of Microbial Fuel Cells

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 2504
Author(s):  
Junxian Shi ◽  
Anhuai Lu ◽  
Haibin Chu ◽  
Hongyu Wu ◽  
Hongrui Ding
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Power Density ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Environmental Remediation ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Reduction Process ◽  
Maximum Power ◽  
Maximum Power Density ◽  
Graphite Cathode ◽  
Vis Spectroscopy

Developing simple and cheap electrocatalysts or photocatalysts for cathodes to increase the oxygen reduction process is a key factor for better utilization of microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Here, we report the investigation of natural wolframite employed as a low-cost cathode photocatalyst to improve the performance of MFCs. The semiconducting wolframite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy. The band gap and photo respond activities were determined by UV-vis spectroscopy and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), respectively. Compared with the normal graphite cathode, when MFCs were equipped with a wolframite-coated cathode, the maximum power density was increased from 41.47 mW·m−2 to 95.51 mW·m−2. Notably, the maximum power density further improved to 135.57 mW·m−2 under light irradiation, which was 2.4 times higher than with a graphite cathode. Our research demonstrated that natural wolframite, a low-cost and abundant natural semiconducting mineral, showed promise as an effective photocathode catalyst which has great potential applications related to utilizing natural minerals in MFCs and for environmental remediation by MFCs in the future.

scholarly journals Application of a direct current circuit to pick up and to store bioelectricity produced by microbial fuel cells

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 26-35
Author(s):  
Daniel Gonzalo Arboleda Avilés ◽  
Oscar Fernando Núñez Barrionuevo ◽  
Omar Fernando Sánchez Olmedo ◽  
Billy Daniel Chinchin Piñan ◽  
Daniel Alexander Arboleda Briones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Output Voltage ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Maximum Power Density ◽  
Biochemical Reactors

Every year the demand for energy worldwide is increasing. There are some alternatives to reduce these problems, such as clean energy or renewable energy. A particular alternative is the microbial fuel cells. These cells are biochemical reactors that convert chemical energy into electricity. The present research evaluated the dairy serum to produce bioelectricity from micro fuel cells (MFC) that were constructed with low-cost materials and with isolated bacteria in anaerobic sediments, located in Ecuadorian national territory, producing maximum voltages of 0.830 V in the circuit and a maximum power density of 30mW / m2. This low voltage was worked with 50 mL MFCs and with an output voltage of 300 mV. Under these conditions, a FLYBACK lift circuit isolated by the transformer was designed. This new circuit could increase the voltage from 30 mV to enough voltage to light a 2.5 V LED. Therefore, the energy produced by the MFC can be directly used to light a LED and to charge capacitors. This study shows that these MFCs, together with the designed circuit, could be used potentially to generate clean energy.

scholarly journals Generation of Bioelectricity from Organic Fruit Waste

2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 6-14
Author(s):  
Segundo Rojas Flores ◽  
Renny Nazario-Naveda ◽  
Daniel Delfín-Narciso ◽  
Moises Gallozo Cardenas ◽  
Natalia Diaz Diaz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Anode Chamber ◽  
Copper Electrodes ◽  
A Value ◽  
Three Samples ◽  
Residual Sludge ◽  
Tomato Pulp ◽  
Organic Fruit

This research proposes an alternative for companies and farmers through the production of electricity using microbial fuel cells (MFCs) using waste from export products. Nine MFCs were manufactured with zinc and copper electrodes; and as substrates, pineapple, potato and tomato pulp wastes were used in the anode chamber, and residual sludge in the cathode chamber. It was observed that the MFCs with pineapple substrate generated higher values of the electrical parameters, resulting in voltage and current values of 0.3484 ± 0.003 V and 27.88 ± 0.23 mA, respectively. It was also observed that the maximum power density was 0.967 ± 0.059 W/cm2 at a current density of 0.04777 A/cm2 for the same substrate. Acid pH values were observed in the three samples, while the conductivity reached its maximum value on day 23 (69.47 ± 0.91 mS/cm) which declined until the last day of monitoring; the turbidity values increased abruptly after day 22 until the last day where a value of 200.3 ± 2.52 UNT was observed for the pineapple substrate. The scanning electron microscopy for the pineapple substrate MFC electrodes shows the formation of a porous biofilm on the zinc and copper electrodes. These results show that a new form of electricity production has been achieved by generating high voltage and current values, using low-cost materials.

scholarly journals Sugar Industry Waste for Bioelectricity Generation

2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 15-22
Author(s):  
Segundo Rojas Flores ◽  
Renny Nazario-Naveda ◽  
Santiago M. Betines ◽  
M. De La Cruz–Noriega ◽  
L. Cabanillas-Chirinos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Organic Waste ◽  
Sugar Industry ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Logarithmic Phase ◽  
Peak Voltage ◽  
Industry Waste ◽  
Bioelectricity Generation

Microbial fuel cells are presented as the promise of technology to generate electricity by using organic waste. In this research, molasses waste from Laredo Agroindustrial Company was used as fuel, as well as graphite and zinc electrodes, managing to build low-cost cells. It was possible to generate voltage and current peaks of 0.389 ± 0.021 V and 1.179 ± 0.079 mA, respectively. The cells showed that acid pH levels and conductivity values were around 100 mS/cm during the period of the highest bioelectricity generation. The maximum power density was 3.76 ± 0.62 W/cm2 for a current density of 247.55 mA/cm2, showing a peak voltage of 0.459 ± 0.52 V. The yeasts showed a logarithmic phase up to day 25 reflecting an increase in cell growth. Microbial fuel cells are projected to be the most viable solution for organic waste and clean energy generation problems.

scholarly journals Potential Use of Papaya Waste as a Fuel for Bioelectricity Generation

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1799
Author(s):  
Segundo Rojas-Flores ◽  
Orlando Pérez-Delgado ◽  
Renny Nazario-Naveda ◽  
Henry Rojales-Alfaro ◽  
Santiago M. Benites ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Achromobacter Xylosoxidans ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Bioelectricity Generation ◽  
Copper Electrodes ◽  
Import And Export ◽  
Potential Use ◽  
A Current

Papaya (Carica papaya) waste cause significant commercial and environmental damage, mainly due to the economic losses and foul odours they emit when decomposing. Therefore, this work provides an innovative way to generate electricity for the benefit of society and companies dedicated to the import and export of this fruit. Microbial fuel cells are a technology that allows electricity generation. These cells were produced with low-cost materials using zinc and copper electrodes; while a 150 mL polymethylmethacrylate tube was used as a substrate collection chamber (papaya waste). Maximum values of 0.736 ± 0.204 V and 5.57 ± 0.45 mA were generated, while pH values increased from 3.848 to 8.227 ± 0.35 and Brix decreased slowly from the first day. The maximum power density value was 878.38 mW/cm2 at a current density of 7.245 A/cm2 at a maximum voltage of 1072.77 mV. The bacteria were identified with an identity percentage of 99.32% for Achromobacter xylosoxidans species, 99.93% for Acinetobacter bereziniae, and 100.00% for Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. This research gives a new way for the use of papaya waste for bioelectricity generation.

Review of Microbial Fuel Cells for Wastewater Treatment: Large-Scale Applications, Future Needs and Current Research Gaps

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael G. Waller ◽  
Thomas A. Trabold
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Organic Waste ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Waste Water Treatment ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Research Gaps

There is growing interest in innovative waste water treatment technologies that can utilize the inherent energy-producing potential of organic waste. A microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a type of bioreactor that produces electricity by converting energy in the chemical bonds of organic material, through a catalytic reaction of microorganisms under anaerobic conditions. MFCs provide a promising low cost, highly efficient, and renewable energy-producing alternative to conventional wastewater treatments. MFC technology at the laboratory scale has advanced to the point where chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies (RE) over 90% are commonly achieved; however, low coulombic efficiencies (CE) and power densities often result when treating actual industrial and domestic wastewaters. In spite of their low energy recovery and power production, MFCs have been shown to be economically viable when factoring in costs savings from the sale of produced chemical byproducts and reduction of solid waste removal costs. However, further research of large-scale MFC wastewater treatment applications must be performed to determine the extent of their feasibility. This paper reviews several pilot-test MFC systems, addresses promising future industrial applications, and discusses current research gaps in MFC technology for wastewater treatment. Of particular interest in our research program is the use of MFCs to treat liquid-phase organic waste generated at food processing plants. Because of the general scalability of fuel cell systems, there is reason to believe that an MFC treatment system would be better suited to relatively small waste flow rates, unlike other treatment methods (e.g., anaerobic digestion) which typically require large volume to achieve economic viability.

Removal of nutrients from Organic Liquid Agricultural Waste using filamentous algae.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gonzalo Flores-Morales ◽  
Mónica Díaz ◽  
Patricia Arancibia-Avila ◽  
Michelle Muñoz-Carrasco ◽  
Pamela Jara-Zapata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Waste ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Organic Liquid ◽  
Agricultural Waste ◽  
Filamentous Algae ◽  
Tertiary Treatment ◽  
Nutrient Reduction ◽  
Algae Removal ◽  
Algae Growth ◽  
Waste Effluents

Abstract A feasibility analysis of tertiary treatment for Organic Liquid Agricultural Waste is presented using filamentous algae belonging to the genus Cladophora sp. as an alternative to chemical tertiary treatment. The main advantages of tertiary treatments that use biological systems are the low cost investment and the minimal dependence on environmental variables. In this work we demonstrate that filamentous algae reduces the nutrient load of nitrate (circa 75%) and phosphate (circa 86%) from the organic waste effluents coming from dairy farms after nine days of culture, with the added advantage being that after the treatment period, algae removal can be achieved by simple procedures. Currently, the organic wastewater is discarded into fields and local streams. However, the algae can acquire value as a by-product since it has various uses as compost, cellulose, and biogas. A disadvantage of this system is that clean water must be used to achieve enough water transparency to allow algae growth. Even so, the nutrient reduction system of the organic effluents proposed is friendly to the ecosystem, compared to tertiary treatments that use chemicals to precipitate and collect nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates.

scholarly journals Towards Iron-Titanium Oxide Nanostructures from Ecuadorian Black Mineral Sands

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 122
Author(s):  
Karina J. Lagos ◽  
Bojan A. Marinkovic ◽  
Alexis Debut ◽  
Karla Vizuete ◽  
Víctor H. Guerrero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Titanium Oxide ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Secondary Phases ◽  
Hydrothermal Route ◽  
Oxide Nanostructures ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Pre Treatment

Ecuadorian black mineral sands were used as starting material for the production of iron-titanium oxide nanostructures. For this purpose, two types of mineral processing were carried out, one incorporating a pre-treatment before conducting an alkaline hydrothermal synthesis (NaOH 10 M at 180 °C for 72 h), and the other prescinding this first step. Nanosheet-assembled flowers and nanoparticle agglomerates were obtained from the procedure including the pre-treatment. Conversely, nanobelts and plate-like particles were prepared by the single hydrothermal route. The nanoscale features of the product morphologies were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. The ilmenite and hematite molar fractions, within the ilmenite-hematite solid solution, in the as-synthetized samples were estimated by Brown’s approach using the computed values of unit-cell volumes from Le Bail adjustments of X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) patterns. The resulting materials were mainly composed of Fe-rich ilmenite-hematite solid solutions (hematite molar contents ≥0.6). Secondary phases, which possibly belong to lepidocrocite-like or corrugated titanate structures, were also identified. The current study demonstrated the feasibility of employing Ecuadorian mineral resources as low-cost precursors to synthesize high-added-value nanostructures with promising applications in several fields.

scholarly journals Valorization of Kiwi by-Products for the Recovery of Bioactive Compounds: Circular Economy Model

Proceedings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Franklin Chamorro ◽  
María Carpena ◽  
Bernabé Nuñez-Estevez ◽  
Miguel A. Prieto ◽  
Jesus Simal-Gandara
Keyword(s):  
Bioactive Compounds ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Organic Waste ◽  
Antimicrobial Activities ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Economic Returns ◽  
Industrial Processing ◽  
Pharmaceutical Industries ◽  
By Products

Currently, agricultural production generates large amounts of organic waste, both from the maintenance of farms and crops, and from the industrialization of the product. Generally, these wastes are accumulated in landfills or burned, sometimes causing environmental problems. However, many scientific studies suggest that these residues are rich in bioactive compounds, so these matrices could be revalued for their use in food, cosmetic, or pharmaceutical industries. In this way, the circular and sustainable economy is favored, while obtaining products with high added value. In this case, this approach is applied to the residues generated from kiwi production, since numerous studies have shown the high content of kiwi in bioactive compounds of interest, such as phenolic compounds, vitamins, and carotenoids. These compounds have been reported for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities, among other beneficial properties for health such as its use as prebiotic. Therefore, this article reviews the potential of residues derived from industrial processing and agricultural maintenance of kiwi as promising matrices for the development of new nutraceutical, cosmetic, or pharmacological products, obtaining, at the same time, economic returns and a reduction of the environmental impact of this industry, attaching it to the perspective of the circular economy.

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