Characterization of a First-Generation Microbial Fuel Cell and its Possible Applications in Environmental Chemistry

SANTIAGO A. CHIAPPINI; PISANI, P. H. D.; EDUARDO CORTON

Montevideo

Congreso; Ibersensor 2006; 2006

Instituto de Física de la Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Uruguay

A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device; in the more studied and developed hydrogen fuel cell technology, hydrogen and oxygen are combined into water and in the process, electricity is produced. In microbial fuel cells (MFC), the anode (usually anaerobic) contains microorganism, able to oxidize organic material, releasing electrons and protons. Protons reach the cathode through a polymer electrolyte membrane (as Nafion®), whereas electrons travel through an external conductor, and can be measured as a current flow. We design a flow-thought micro-MFC using inexpensive materials, and compared it with a normal size, batch-mode MFC, with neutral red and methylene blue as redox mediators. Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were the microbial strains assayed as biocatalysts. We begin to study its possibilities as transducer for BOD and toxicity measurements.