The present work focused on the utilization of three local wastes, i.e., rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum), langsat (Lansium parasiticum), and mango (Mangifera indica) wastes, as organic substrates in a benthic microbial fuel cell (BMFC) to reduce the cadmium and lead concentrations from synthetic water. Out of the three wastes, the mango waste promoted a maximum current density (87.71 mA/m2) along with 78% and 80% removal efficiencies for Cd2+ and Pb2+, respectively. The bacterial identification proved that Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter, and Citrobacter were responsible for metal removal and energy generation. In the present work, the BMFC mechanism, current challenges, and future recommendations are also enclosed.
Benthic microbial fuel cell (BMFC) is the most promising type of bioelectrochemical approach for producing electrons and protons from natural organic waste. In the present work, a single-chamber BMFC was used, containing sago (Cycas revoluta) waste as the organic feed for microorganisms. The local wastewater was supplemented with heavy metal ions (Pb2+, Cd2+, Cr3+, Ni2+, Co2+, Ag+, and Cu2+) and used as an inoculation source to evaluate the performance of BMFC against the toxic metal remediations. According to the experimental results, the maximum power density obtained was 42.55 mW/m2 within 25 days of the BMFC operation. The maximum remediation efficiency of the metal ion removal from the wastewater was found to be 99.30% (Ag+). The conductive pili-type bacteria species (Acinetobacter species, Leucobacter species, Bacillus species, Proteus species. and Klebsiella pneumoniae) were found in the present study during isolation and identification processes. This study's multiple parameter optimization revealed that pH 7 and room temperature is the best condition for optimal performance. Finally, this study included the mechanism, future recommendations, and concluding remarks.