Simultaneous Treatment of Catfish Pond Wastewater and Bioelectricity Generation Using a Double-Chamber Microbial Fuel Cell

This study investigates the application of a double-chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) for the simultaneous treatment of catfish pond wastewater and bioelectricity generation. Catfish pond effluent was used as the substrate and inoculated into the anodic chamber of the MFC, which was operated for a period of 120 hours under controlled pH conditions ranging from 5 to 9. Wastewater quality parameters, including chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO), and voltage output, were monitored at 24-hour intervals to evaluate treatment efficiency and electrical performance. The results demonstrated a progressive reduction in organic pollutant load with increasing operating time and pH. COD and BOD values decreased from initial concentrations of 296 mg/L and 270 mg/L to final values of 150 mg/L and 122 mg/L, respectively, indicating effective wastewater treatment within permissible discharge limits. Concurrently, bioelectricity generation was observed, with a maximum voltage output of 0.04 V recorded at near-neutral to slightly alkaline conditions (pH 8–9). The findings highlight the potential of microbial fuel cell technology as a low-cost, environmentally sustainable approach for treating fish pond wastewater while enabling energy recovery. This study supports the feasibility of integrating MFCs into decentralized wastewater treatment systems, particularly in developing regions where energy and environmental challenges coexist.