Turning Waste into Watts: A Sustainable MFC-Based Approach for Food Waste Management

The increasing demand for sustainable wastewater treatment and renewable energy recovery has directed attention towards microbial fuel cells (MFCs) as dual-function systems. In this study, a double-chambered MFC was developed using domestic wastewater as the primary substrate for simultaneous bioelectricity generation and pollutant removal. The system achieved a stable voltage output of approximately 0.6 V after microbial acclimatization, with a peak power density of 30–45 mW/m2 under optimal external resistance. In parallel, the MFC demonstrated effective treatment performance, attaining 70–85% COD removal within a retention period of 5–7 days. The coulombic efficiency, ranging between 15–25%, was consistent with values reported in literature for real wastewater substrates. The results confirm that domestic wastewater can effectively support electrogenic microbial communities, with stable biofilm growth facilitating extracellular electron transfer at the anode. Compared to single-chamber systems, the double-chamber configuration provided enhanced wastewater treatment and improved coulombic efficiency, though energy recovery remained modest due to internal resistance and substrate complexity. Overall, this study highlights the feasibility of double-chamber MFCs as a decentralized, eco-friendly approach for wastewater treatment coupled with renewable energy production. While current performance supports only low-power applications, further optimization in electrode design, membrane alternatives and scale-up strategies could enable wider application of MFCs in sustainable sanitation and waste-to-energy systems.