Preliminary Study of Bioelectricity Generation Using Lettuce Waste as Substrate by Microbial Fuel Cells

Walter Rojas-Villacorta, Segundo Rojas-Flores (), Santiago M. Benites, Renny Nazario-Naveda, Cecilia V. Romero, Moisés Gallozzo-Cardenas, Daniel Delfín-Narciso, Félix Díaz and Emzon Murga-Torres
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Walter Rojas-Villacorta: Programa de Investigación Formativa e Integridad Científica, Universidad César Vallejo, Trujillo 13001, Peru
Segundo Rojas-Flores: Vicerrectorado de Investigación, Universidad Autónoma del Perú, Lima 15842, Peru
Santiago M. Benites: Vicerrectorado de Investigación, Universidad Autónoma del Perú, Lima 15842, Peru
Renny Nazario-Naveda: Vicerrectorado de Investigación, Universidad Autónoma del Perú, Lima 15842, Peru
Cecilia V. Romero: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional de Trujillo, Trujillo 13001, Peru
Moisés Gallozzo-Cardenas: Departamento de Ciencias, Universidad Tecnológica del Perú, Trujillo 13011, Peru
Daniel Delfín-Narciso: Grupo de Investigación en Ciencias Aplicadas y Nuevas Tecnologías, Universidad Privada del Norte, Trujillo 13007, Peru
Félix Díaz: Escuela Académica Profesional de Medicina Humana, Universidad Norbert Wiener, Lima 15046, Peru
Emzon Murga-Torres: Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory, Universidad Privada Antenor Orrego (UPAO), Trujillo 13008, Peru

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 13, 1-14

Abstract: Agricultural waste negatively impacts the environment and generates economic difficulties for agro-industrial companies and farmers. As a result, it is necessary for an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to managing this type of waste. Therefore, the research aimed to investigate lettuce waste as an alternative substrate to generate bioelectricity in single-chamber microbial fuel cells (scMFCs). It was possible to report voltage and electric current peaks of 0.959 ± 0.026 V and 5.697 ± 0.065 mA on the fourteenth day, values that were attained with an optimum pH of 7.867 ± 0.147 and with an electrical conductivity of 118.964 ± 8.888 mS/cm. Moreover, as time passed the values began to decline slowly. The calculated value of maximum power density was 378.145 ± 5.417 mW/cm 2 whose current density was 5.965 A/cm 2 , while the internal resistance reported using Ohm’s Law was 87.594 ± 6.226 Ω. Finally, it was possible to identify the Stenotrophomonas maltophilia bacterium (99.59%) on a molecular scale, as one of the microorganisms present in the anodic biofilm. The three microbial fuel cells were connected in series and demonstrated that they were capable of lighting an LED bulb, with a voltage of 2.18 V.

Keywords: lettuce waste; biomass; bioelectricity; microbial fuel cells; energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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