Utilization of Enhanced Asparagus Waste with Sucrose in Microbial Fuel Cells for Energy Production

The rapid increase in agricultural waste in recent years has led to significant losses and challenges for agro-industrial companies. At the same time, the growing demand for energy to support daily human activities has prompted these companies to seek new and sustainable methods for generating elect...

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Main Authors: Rojas-Flores Segundo, Cabanillas-Chirinos Luis, Magaly De La Cruz-Noriega, Nélida Milly Otiniano, Moisés M. Gallozzo Cardenas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Fermentation
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/11/5/260
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author Rojas-Flores Segundo
Cabanillas-Chirinos Luis
Magaly De La Cruz-Noriega
Nélida Milly Otiniano
Moisés M. Gallozzo Cardenas
author_facet Rojas-Flores Segundo
Cabanillas-Chirinos Luis
Magaly De La Cruz-Noriega
Nélida Milly Otiniano
Moisés M. Gallozzo Cardenas
author_sort Rojas-Flores Segundo
collection DOAJ
description The rapid increase in agricultural waste in recent years has led to significant losses and challenges for agro-industrial companies. At the same time, the growing demand for energy to support daily human activities has prompted these companies to seek new and sustainable methods for generating electric energy, which is crucial. Sucrose extracted from fruit waste can act as a carbon source for microbial fuel cells (MFCs), as bacteria metabolize sucrose to generate electrons, producing electric current. This research aims to evaluate the potential of sucrose as an additive to enhance the use of asparagus waste as fuel in single-chamber MFCs. The samples were obtained from CUC SAC in Trujillo, Peru. This study utilized MFCs with varying sucrose concentrations: 0% (Target), 5%, 10%, and 15%. It was observed that the MFCs with 15% sucrose and 0% sucrose (Target) produced the highest electric current (5.532 mA and 3.525 mA, respectively) and voltage (1.729 V and 1.034 V) on the eighth day of operation, both operating at slightly acidic pH levels. The MFC with 15% sucrose exhibited an oxidation-reduction potential of 3.525 mA, an electrical conductivity of 294.027 mS/cm, and a reduced chemical oxygen demand of 83.14%. Additionally, the MFC-15% demonstrated the lowest internal resistance (128.749 ± 12.541 Ω) with a power density of 20.196 mW/cm<sup>2</sup> and a current density of 5.574 A/cm<sup>2</sup>. Moreover, the microbial fuel cells with different sucrose concentrations were connected in series, achieving a combined voltage of 4.56 V, showcasing their capacity to generate bioelectricity. This process effectively converts plant waste into electrical energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and mitigating methane emissions from the traditional anaerobic decomposition of such waste.
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spelling doaj-art-ebb501316f9d4fb9b1dbca20e88262192025-08-20T03:14:42ZengMDPI AGFermentation2311-56372025-05-0111526010.3390/fermentation11050260Utilization of Enhanced Asparagus Waste with Sucrose in Microbial Fuel Cells for Energy ProductionRojas-Flores Segundo0Cabanillas-Chirinos Luis1Magaly De La Cruz-Noriega2Nélida Milly Otiniano3Moisés M. Gallozzo Cardenas4Institutos y Centros de Investigación, Universidad César Vallejo, Trujillo 13001, PeruInstitutos y Centros de Investigación, Universidad César Vallejo, Trujillo 13001, PeruInstitutos y Centros de Investigación, Universidad César Vallejo, Trujillo 13001, PeruInstitutos y Centros de Investigación, Universidad César Vallejo, Trujillo 13001, PeruFacultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad César Vallejo, Trujillo 13001, PeruThe rapid increase in agricultural waste in recent years has led to significant losses and challenges for agro-industrial companies. At the same time, the growing demand for energy to support daily human activities has prompted these companies to seek new and sustainable methods for generating electric energy, which is crucial. Sucrose extracted from fruit waste can act as a carbon source for microbial fuel cells (MFCs), as bacteria metabolize sucrose to generate electrons, producing electric current. This research aims to evaluate the potential of sucrose as an additive to enhance the use of asparagus waste as fuel in single-chamber MFCs. The samples were obtained from CUC SAC in Trujillo, Peru. This study utilized MFCs with varying sucrose concentrations: 0% (Target), 5%, 10%, and 15%. It was observed that the MFCs with 15% sucrose and 0% sucrose (Target) produced the highest electric current (5.532 mA and 3.525 mA, respectively) and voltage (1.729 V and 1.034 V) on the eighth day of operation, both operating at slightly acidic pH levels. The MFC with 15% sucrose exhibited an oxidation-reduction potential of 3.525 mA, an electrical conductivity of 294.027 mS/cm, and a reduced chemical oxygen demand of 83.14%. Additionally, the MFC-15% demonstrated the lowest internal resistance (128.749 ± 12.541 Ω) with a power density of 20.196 mW/cm<sup>2</sup> and a current density of 5.574 A/cm<sup>2</sup>. Moreover, the microbial fuel cells with different sucrose concentrations were connected in series, achieving a combined voltage of 4.56 V, showcasing their capacity to generate bioelectricity. This process effectively converts plant waste into electrical energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and mitigating methane emissions from the traditional anaerobic decomposition of such waste.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/11/5/260asparaguswastesucrosemicrobial fuel cellbioelectricity
spellingShingle Rojas-Flores Segundo
Cabanillas-Chirinos Luis
Magaly De La Cruz-Noriega
Nélida Milly Otiniano
Moisés M. Gallozzo Cardenas
Utilization of Enhanced Asparagus Waste with Sucrose in Microbial Fuel Cells for Energy Production
Fermentation
asparagus
waste
sucrose
microbial fuel cell
bioelectricity
title Utilization of Enhanced Asparagus Waste with Sucrose in Microbial Fuel Cells for Energy Production
title_full Utilization of Enhanced Asparagus Waste with Sucrose in Microbial Fuel Cells for Energy Production
title_fullStr Utilization of Enhanced Asparagus Waste with Sucrose in Microbial Fuel Cells for Energy Production
title_full_unstemmed Utilization of Enhanced Asparagus Waste with Sucrose in Microbial Fuel Cells for Energy Production
title_short Utilization of Enhanced Asparagus Waste with Sucrose in Microbial Fuel Cells for Energy Production
title_sort utilization of enhanced asparagus waste with sucrose in microbial fuel cells for energy production
topic asparagus
waste
sucrose
microbial fuel cell
bioelectricity
url https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/11/5/260
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AT cabanillaschirinosluis utilizationofenhancedasparaguswastewithsucroseinmicrobialfuelcellsforenergyproduction
AT magalydelacruznoriega utilizationofenhancedasparaguswastewithsucroseinmicrobialfuelcellsforenergyproduction
AT nelidamillyotiniano utilizationofenhancedasparaguswastewithsucroseinmicrobialfuelcellsforenergyproduction
AT moisesmgallozzocardenas utilizationofenhancedasparaguswastewithsucroseinmicrobialfuelcellsforenergyproduction