Variasi Konsentrasi Air Limbah Proses Pencucian Pulp pada Membraneless Air Cathode Microbial Fuel Cell

Abstract

Membraneless-Microbial Fuel Cell (ML-MFC) satu kompartemen dengan katoda kontak udara saat ini sedang dikembangkan dan menjadi alternatif solusi untuk sumber energi terbarukan yang mampu menghasilkan listrik dari proses degradasi substrat. MFC membutuhkan substrat yang kaya senyawa organik seperti air limbah dari proses pencucian pulp. Pada air limbah ini terdapat lindi hitam dalam kondisi terencerkan yang mengandung lignin dan kaya senyawa organik sehingga memiliki potensi untuk digunakan sebagai substrat dalam reaktor MFC. Selain itu, penggunaan substrat berupa air limbah industri memiliki efek yang baik terhadap lingkungan karena berkontribusi dalam pengurangan kontaminan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh konsentrasi awal Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) air limbah pencucian pulp sebagai substrat terhadap arus dan voltase listrik yang terjadi dalam MFC. Dalam penelitian ini, reaktor MFC mengolah air limbah pencucian secara batch dengan 4 variasi konsentrasi COD yaitu 613 mg/L, 833 mg/L, 940 mg/L, dan 1620 mg/L dengan pH 8,91 - 10,03. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan MFC mampu mereduksi COD air limbah pencucian pulp sebesar 34 - 48%. Terkait potensi listrik, akumulasi arus listrik yang terjadi pada MFC sebesar 12,67- 39,17 mA/m² pada kisaran voltase tertinggi dari 4 reaktor sebesar 214 - 287 mV. The Concentration Variation of Wastewater From Pulp Washing Process in Membraneless Air Cathode Microbial Fuel CellA one compartment Membraneless-Microbial Fuel Cell (ML-MFC) with an air cathode was recently developed and became alternative solution for renewable energy sources to generate electricity from substrate degradation. MFC needs proper substrate that was rich in organic content such as wastewater from pulp washing process. The wastewater contains black liquor that was already diluted and contains lignin and high organic content, so that it would be potential as MFC substrate. Furthermore, the utilization of industrial wastewater as substrate can contribute positive effect to the environment namely contaminant reduction. This research was conducted to understand the effect of initial Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) concentration of wastewater from pulp washing process to electricity current and voltage occured from MFC. The wastewater from pulp washing process with 4 initial COD concentrations (61, 833, 940, and 1620 mg/L) and pH ranged from 8,91 to 10,03 were batch treated in a batch system using the MFC. The results showed that 34-48% COD removal can be performed by MFC. Related with electricity potency from MFC, electricity accumulation current happened on 12,67 mA/m² - 39,17 mA/m² at highest voltage from 4 reactors of 214-287 mV.

Key findings

• ▸The MFC was able to reduce COD by 34-48% across different concentrations
• ▸The highest COD concentration (1620 mg/L) resulted in the highest electricity generation
• ▸The pH range of 8.91-10.03 had a minimal impact on the MFC performance

Keywords

Identifiers

DOI

10.25269/jsel.v9i02.237

Journal

JURNAL SELULOSA

Year

2019