Microbial fuel cell - used in direct conversion of lignocellulosic waste to energy

Energy generation from renewable materials and waste treatment are two key challenges in the request for a sustainable society. The usage of microbial fuel cells (MFC) for elecricity production is a novel and elegant technology, because it directly generates electriciiy from waste treatment dunrig microbial metabolism of sugars. MFC, in principle provides an elegant solution combining energy production and waste treatment. In this project, the energy output from MFC will be optimised by using sugars and lignin components derived from agriculture waste streams (straw and manure), as fuel and mediators in a MFC. With the proposed project we intend to: 1) Construct a small scale MFC for the tests listed below. The cell should include a reference electrode whereby one can single out the individual losses from fuel oxidation, ohmic resistance in fuel-solution and membrane, and the overvoltage of the air electrode. 2) Reduce problems with oxygen leakage through the membrane (PEM) into the anode chamber. 3) Study and demonstrate the function of an MFC with pentoses and glucose as fuel energy and oxygen as electron acceptor. 4) Investigate performance of lignin substances as mediator. 5) Investigate performance of different microorganisms in lignin rich hydrolysates. 6) Test the possibility of using MFC to treat real lignocellulosic waste like wheat straw and manure. 7) Study microbial ecology of bacteria consortia in MFCs. Make a final choice of fuel/bacteria/mediator/electrodes to be tested in larger scale