Search

Water and energy securities are emerging as increasingly important and vital issues for today’s world. Therefore, the field of wastewater management and alternative energy is one of the most unexplored fields of Biotechnology and Science. Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is emerging as a modern wastewater treatment technology which converts chemical energy stored in the bonds of organic matter present in wastewater directly into electricity using electrogenic bacteria as a catalyst, without causing environmental pollution. In this chapter, the technical know-how of MFC and biocatalyst has been depicted. A thorough understanding of the fundamental principles of microbial fuel cells would help to perceive new aspects of bioenergy conversions and how such systems could be integrated with the present energy generation systems to maximize the energy recovery. In this respect, MFCs show promise to treat wastewater with simultaneous production of renewable energy. In this chapter, the theories underlying the electron transfer mechanisms, the biochemistry and the microbiology involved, and the material characteristics of anode, cathode, and the separator have been clearly described. This chapter highlights the major factors involved toward the improvement bioelectricity production processes. Advance in the design of MFC Technology and the economy of the process are also included.

The field of wastewater management and alternative energy are one of the most unexplored fields of environmental biotechnology. The biomethane is considered as renewable natural gas which can be derived from organic waste and sewage treatment. In recent past biomethane is emerging as a promising gaseous fuel utilized in a cogeneration or trigeneration power plant. Biomethane usually produced through anaerobic digestion in oxygen-deficient environment where a series of microorganisms convert the complex waste to biogas via liquefaction through a cascade of enzymes. Biomethane produced in anaerobic digester can be utilized for decentralized power generation, and additionally revenue can be gained in the form of a CO2 credits and/or other greenhouse gas emission credits. In the present book chapter, the technical know-how of anaerobic digestion and biocatalyst associated with digester has been depicted. A thorough understanding of the fundamental principles of anaerobic digestion would help to perceive new aspects of bioenergy conversions. The book chapter highlights the concise of biochemistry for biomethane production as well as important major factors involved in the process toward the realization of a stable biomethane-based economy. Successful application of anaerobic digester was found in pilot-scale potential wastewater treatment along with renewable energy production. The proper configuration anaerobic digester and efficiently pretreated “feedstock” are key to maximize the production of methane. Therefore, basics of reactor design designs based on process economy have been discussed.