Performance of White Bread Waste in Microbial Fuel Cells as an Organic Substrate for Energy Generation and Pollutant Remediation

Abstract This research investigates the use of white bread waste as an organic substrate in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) to address the challenge of low electron generation due to substrate instability. White bread, which contains easily hydrolysable carbohydrates, provides a constant biodegradable feedstock for bioelectrochemical systems. The MFCs had a peak voltage of 345 mV and a maximum power density of 5.02 mW/m 2 , showing promising performance. Electrochemical efficiency was affected by the measured internal resistance of 83.33 Ω. Specific capacitance reached 0.00011 F/g on day 60, indicating increased microbial activity and substrate utilization. The conductivity increased from 0.2 to 0.9 mS/cm, suggesting better ionic transport. Toluene bioremediation achieved 58.03% by day 60, illustrating MFCs’ efficiency in energy generation and pollutant degradation. SEM and EDX tests demonstrated biofilm growth on electrodes, which is required for electron transport. White bread’s degradation, which includes starch retrogradation and microbial decomposition, increases its fermentability, making it an ideal substrate for sustainable energy and environmental remediation. The study concludes with a thorough mechanistic summary, elaborating on the positive implications of the findings. The authors conclude that white bread waste is a promising substrate for MFCs and mentioned future research perspectives to improve system performance and scalability.