Introduction – Trisha
Every day, tonnes of organic waste is thrown away, but inside this waste are millions of microbes. When
these microbes break down, they release electrons which we can use to create electricity! This process
uses something called a Microbial Fuel Cell.
What’s Happening Inside the Microbial Fuel Cell?
The microorganisms convert organic waste into electrical energy. As the microorganisms eat the waste they
digest it, which produces electrons. These electrons flow from anode through the wires to the multimeter
and cathode. These ions move through the salt bridge to balance the reaction and this flow creates
electricity from waste.
Our experiment investigates whether a rotted banana peel which is converted to a sludge, can act as a fuel
source.
Let’s take a look at our daily observations of the banana peel.
Day wise breakup - Christopher
In our experiment we used some banana peels which were kept to decompose across a span of 5 days at a
room temperature of 25–30°C. Our daily observations are based on the appearance, smell, colour and
microbial activity.
On Day 1 The banana peel is yellow, its texture is firm and it has a fresh banana scent.
On Day 2 The banana peel has now developed a few small brown spots. It has become slightly soft but still
smells fresh.
On Day 3 There are a few more brown spots and it is limper which shows that the microbial activity is
beginning but it is not visible.
On Day 4 The peel developed more dark spots and turned dark brown. There are no visible signs of
bacteria but the peel smelt bit sour due to bacterial activity.
On Day 5 The peel now is now almost black and feels soft and mushy. There is a lot of visible bacterial
growth on the peel and the fermented smell is stronger.
The peel is now ready for the next step.
The Blending Process – Dhwani Demonstration Videos
Now is the time to turn the rotted into a sludge. We put the banana peels into the blender, we add a small
amount of water and blend it for 5- 10 seconds. Once blended the peel has turned into a thick dark brown
sludge. This sludge becomes the anode chamber fuel, supplying organic material for bacteria to break
down. The decomposition process has a high microbial activity that has good electrolyte functions and
improved electron release releases electrons that can travel through a circuit. It creates a high microbial
activity that has good electrolyte functions and improved electron release.
Preparing the Set up
We need two containers; one will work as an Anode Chamber and the other as a Cathode Chamber. We
then create the Salt Bridge which connects the two chambers so ions can flow. We mixed water with table
salt and gelatine powder and heated it until the gelatine dissolves. We then poured the mixture into the
PVC pipe tube to let it cool and solidify.
Assemble the Microbial Fuel Cell – Aaryaman
To test this experiment, we fill the anode chamber with the banana-peel sludge where the anode electrode
is fully inside the sludge. We fill the cathode chamber with water making sure the cathode electrode is in
the liquid and the top is exposed to air. We then insert the salt bridge between the chambers to allow ion
movement and use a sealant to seal all openings and prevent leakage.
We then Connect the Electrical Circuit by attaching a wire from the anode electrode to the negative (COM)
port of a multimeter. We attach a wire from the cathode electrode to the positive (V/Ω) port of the
multimeter. Set the multimeter to measure DC Voltage (V). We should begin to see voltage readings
Results -
Our results suggest that the The microbial fuel cell experiment using banana-peel sludge did not produce
measurable electricity, and several factors likely contributed to the failure.
First, the setup showed signs of leakage, which would have allowed oxygen to enter the anode chamber
and disrupted the anaerobic conditions required for microbial activity. Without a proper sealed
environment, the bacteria may not have been able to break down the banana sludge efficiently enough to
release electrons.
Second, the multimeter may have been faulty, giving inaccurate or no readings even if small amounts of
electricity were being generated. A malfunctioning device or incorrect internal wiring can prevent proper
measurement of low voltage outputs typical of MFCs.
Third, the salt-water bridge did not solidify properly, which means ions were likely unable to move
effectively between the two chambers. The salt bridge is essential for completing the circuit; if it is too soft,
too watery, or poorly connected, it blocks ion flow and stops the system from generating visible electrical
output.
Overall, these issues—leakage, equipment malfunction, and an ineffective salt bridge—prevented the
microbial fuel cell from functioning as intended. Improving the sealing of the chambers, using verified
working instruments, and preparing a stable, well-solidified salt bridge would likely result in better
performance in future trials.
Further improvements
Improve sealing of the chambers. Next time we can use silicone sealant or hot glue to close all gaps. We
can also ensure that the anode chamber is completely airtight to maintain anaerobic conditions. Test for
leaks by gently squeezing the chamber or adding a small amount of water before starting.
We could also Prepare a Better Salt Bridge and freeze it properly so that it remains solid.
Verify the multimeter and Wiring to ensure that it reads even a small amount of electricity produced.
We could also possibly strengthen the Overall Structure by using more rigid containers leaking.
We could also optimise use of power boosters by adding a small amount of salt to the anode chamber to
increase conductivity and increase electrode surface area using carbon felt or mesh.