Development of Optimum Operating Parameters for Bioelectricity Generation from Sugar Wastewater Using Response Surface Methodology

Two response surface methodologies involving historical data designs have been successfully developed with the aim of predicting optimum operating parameters for bioelectricity generation from sugar wastewater. The regression models evaluated the effect of waste water concentration, experimental process time and agitation speed on bioelectric current generation from microbial fuel cell. In the first historical data design, regression model was developed for the investigation of the effect of waste water concentration and experimental process time on the response (bioelectric current). Second historical data design was performed to determine the extent to which agitation speed and process time influence the response. The polynomial regression models were validated with statistical tool whose values of R2 for first and second model were0.95 and 0.98 respectively. The optimum combination of wastewater concentration and process time for the maximum generation of bioelectric current from second model in numerical optimization of response surface methodology are 246.7 and 6 minutes with 1.94 mA electric current. Optimum conditions generated were process time of 40.14 minutes and agitation speed of 39.7 rpm which generated bioelectric current of 1.633 mA. The optimum operating conditions developed could be used to enhance commercialization of bioelectricity generation from sugar wastewater.