Electricity generation from bamboo hydrolysates in MFCs using <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> and air cathodes

Abstract This research evaluated the power generation of a microbial fuel cell (MFC) utilizing Pseudomonas aeruginosa PR3 as the biocatalyst, hydrolysates from acid‐pretreated Bambusa stenostachya Hack. as the feeding substrates, and a pump to supply air into the catholyte. Dual‐chamber MFCs were inoculated with P. aeruginosa PR3 in a solution containing 5.0 g/L glucose during acclimation, followed by the investigation of their operation in glucose and bamboo hydrolysates with different concentrations of total reducing sugars. From the results of electrochemical analyses, MFC operating with 5.0 g/L bamboo hydrolysate sugars had the highest electricity production with an open‐circuit voltage, current density, and power density of 554.09 mV, 84.98 mA/m 2 , and 6.94 mW/m 2 , respectively. Although the air‐supplied systems showed electrical properties not as superior as those of the ferricyanide‐based MFCs in the previous works, air pumping was an inexpensive and environmentally‐friendly method to supply atmospheric oxygen for efficient reduction reactions in the MFC cathode chamber. Anode surface characterization displayed uniform biofilm structures with microorganisms other than PR3, allowing the effective recovery of electricity from the degradation of sugars in bamboo hydrolysates. Overall, this research has demonstrated the potential of applying air pumps in MFCs to recover energy from bamboo wastes in a green and sustainable manner.