An Overview of Algae-assisted Microbial Fuel Cell for the Treatment of Sugarcane Industry Effluent

Algae, being a photosynthetic eukaryotic organism, play a major role as oxygen producers in water bodies. Apart from that, they have the ability to absorb nutrients and convert them into biomass. Thus, considered as a favorable wastewater treatment agent. The sugarcane industry plays a vital role in the global agro-based sector, producing a significant amount of sugar annually. However, the cultivation process results in the generation of large volumes of contaminated effluent. Sugarcane industry produces more than 180 million metric tons of sugar annually on a global scale produce around 1 m3 of contaminated effluent per ton of sugarcane processing. Incorporating algae in sugarcane industry effluent treatment using microbial fuel cell (MFC) can give highly efficient output as it contains more nutrients. In recent years, the integration of algae-assisted microbial fuel cells (AMFCs) has emerged as a promising technology for effluent treatment. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the application of AMFCs in treating sugarcane industry effluent. The review examines the underlying principles of AMFCs, highlighting their ability to harness the power of microbial communities and algae for simultaneous wastewater treatment and energy generation. It presents case studies and experimental results to illustrate the performance and potential of AMFCs in removing pollutants and producing electricity from sugarcane industry effluent. And sufficient removal of pollutants such as BOD, COD, ammonia, total nitrogen, and phosphorus are identified. And power generation of AMFC is varying according to the type of wastewater, type of algal species used, as well as the conditions provided. Overall, this review sheds light on the significant role of algae-assisted microbial fuel cells in the sustainable treatment of sugarcane industry effluent, offering insights into their potential as an innovative and eco-friendly solution for the industry’s wastewater management.