Author/Authors :
Chaijak, Pimprapa Microbial Fuel Cell & Bioremediation Laboratory - Faculty of Science - Thaksin University, Phatthalung, Thailand - Microbial Technology for Agriculture - Food and Environment Research Center - Thaksin University, Phatthalung, Thailand , Thipraksa, Junjira Department of Biology - Faculty of Science - Thaksin University, Phatthalung, Thailand , Michu, Panisa Department of Biotechnology - Faculty of Science - Thaksin University - Phatthalung, Thailand
Abstract :
Melanoidin is the hazardous dark brown byproduct generated during palm oil extraction in the crude
palm oil industry. In this study, the laccase-producing consortium W3 (Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus
subtilis) was used to degrade melanoidin and decolorize palm oil mill effluent (POME). The microbial
fuel cell (MFC) has been applied for enhancing decolorization and generation of electrical energy as a
byproduct. The results displayed the maximal melanoidin removal of 95.20±0.10% was gained when
the consortium W3 was added into the synthetic wastewater. While the maximal decolorization of
75.10±0.12% and 73.91±0.23% were gained from the sterile POME and raw POME respectively without
chemical addition. Moreover, the power output of 2.13±0.05 W/m3 or 0.27±0.01 W/m2 was achieved
from the POME-fed MFC with W3. This study gained new knowledge of using the laccase-producing
bacterial consortium integrated with MFC for melanoidin removal from the POME and generation of
electrical power as an alternative energy source.
Keywords :
Decolorization , Electricity generation , Laccas , Melanoidin , Microbial fuel cell
