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 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/cm2 and a current density of 5.574 A/cm2. 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.