Effectiveness of a Biofertilizer in the Treatment of Carpet Industry Dye Wastewater in an Earthen Pot–Coupled Plant Microbial Fuel Cell

Abstract

The plant microbial fuel cell (PMFC) is a novel technology in which organic matter is converted into electricity using living plants and bacteria in the soil. This study presents a sustainable technology for the treatment of dye wastewater and the generation of bioelectricity using an earthen pot–based PMFC. This technique utilized real dye wastewater from the carpet industry for the irrigation of sugarcane plants and a biofertilizer extracted from banana peels with a dosage of 2% in the test PMFC. The application of this biofertilizer in the PMFC markedly enhanced overall performance in dye wastewater treatment, achieving 2.15 times higher color removal and 2.36 times greater chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal compared with the control PMFC (without the biofertilizer). Additionally, plant growth increased by 1.13 times, and electricity generation improved by 3.6 times in the test PMFC. The maximum power density observed was 260 mW/m², with COD and color removal efficiencies of 90% and 97%, respectively, in the test PMFC. In the comparative analysis of power densities, the test PMFC exhibited a power density of 260 mW/m², significantly outperforming the control PMFC, which demonstrated a substantially lower power density of just 72 mW/m². This marked difference underscores the enhanced efficiency and performance of the test PMFC, suggesting potential advancements in PMFCs employing biofertilizers. Therefore, it can be proposed that by utilizing a biofertilizer derived from banana peels in a PMFC system, one can achieve substantial improvements in wastewater treatment efficiency, plant growth, and electricity generation. This method not only addresses environmental pollution from the carpet industry but also contributes to renewable energy production, showcasing a viable solution for integrated waste management and sustainable agricultural practices.