Lim, Jennifer B. <br/><br/>
The bioelectrical potential of organic compost soil and Pasig river silt as fuel substrate by using graphite-coated electrodes in a single chamber microbial fuel cell (SCMFC)/  
Jennifer B. Lim, Carl Adrianne R. Lu, and Alshane A. Tadjal .-- 
 - Manila:  Technological University of the Philippines,   2024. 
 - xii, 119pages:   29cm.   +1 CD-ROM (4 3/4in.)  
<br/><br/> Thesis (undergraduate) 
<br/><br/>College of Science .--  
<br/><br/>Includes bibliography.  
<br/><br/> The increasing global energy demand necessitates the exploration of alternative renewable<br/>energy sources. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which utilize microorganisms to convert<br/>organic matter into electricity, offer a promising solution. This study investigates the<br/>bioelectrical potential of organic compost soil and Pasig River silt as fuel substrates using<br/>graphite-coated electrodes in a single-chamber microbial fuel cell (SCMFC). Key<br/>parameters of the MFC setup, including electrode binder, electrode size, and electrode<br/>spacing, were optimized to maximize output voltage. Five different SCMFC setups were<br/>constructed using pure Pasig River silt, compost soil composed of garden soil, vermicast,<br/>chicken manure, cow manure, cocopeat, carbonized rice hull, and fresh rice hull, and their<br/>mixtures in varying ratios (1:1, 1:3, 3:1). Characterization and quantification of isolated<br/>bacterial colonies, along with physicochemical properties such as soil color, consistency,<br/>texture, bulk density, moisture content, pH, and macronutrient levels, were analyzed before<br/>and after the evaluation. The open circuit voltage (OCV) of the MFC was measured over<br/>30 days. Results indicated that optimal conditions for maximizing output voltage included<br/>sucrose as the binder, electrodes of 8.2 cm diameter and 4.1 cm radius, and 4 cm spacing<br/>between electrodes. The highest voltage output, 631.0 mV, was achieved with a 3:1<br/>mixture, while pure compost soil and pure river silt produced lower voltages of 257.0 mV<br/>and 60.0 mV, respectively. These findings suggest that utilizing locally available organic<br/>materials like compost and river silt in MFCs can generate electricity while aiding waste<br/>management and promoting renewable energy.<br/>Keywords: Microbial fuel cells (MFCs), Single-chamber microbial fuel cell (SCMFC),<br/>Graphite-coated electrodes, Open circuit voltage (OCV) 
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Topical Terms: </label><br/>Laboratory technology<br/>Renewable energy sources<br/>Microbial fuel cells
<br/><br/><label>LC Class. No.: </label>BTH RB 37  / L56 2024