IJSRSET1731132 | Received : 02 July 2017 | Accepted : 12 July- 2017 | July-August-2017 [(3)5: 70-79] © 2017 IJSRSET | Volume 3 | Issue 5 | Print ISSN: 2395-1990 | Online ISSN : 2394-4099 Themed Section: Engineering and Technology 70 Cow Dung to Kilo Watt using Double Chamber Microbial Fuel Cell Kamau J.M, Mbui D.N, Mwaniki J.M, Mwaura F.B a Department of Chemistry, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197-00100, Nairobi, Kenya b School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197-00100, Nairobi, Kenya ABSTRACT In the current study, voltage is generated from cow waste at varying time duration of 6 to 11 days. PVC pipe was used to make a salt bridge using agarose and potassium chloride and Sodium chloride. The performance of microbial fuel cells was evaluated by characterizing the generated voltage, current, power and surface power density. It was observed that despite the high impedance of the substrate, all the generated parameters have shown maximum values at day 6 and then a decline in trend was observed on 7 days onwards. The highest values of voltage, current, power, current density and power density obtained were 0.5090V, 0.28μA, 0.0093μW, 0.05181mA/m 2 and 0.0000006 W/m 2 respectively. The study concluded that microbial fuel cells technology can be used to generate electricity from cow dung. Keywords: Microbial Fuel Cells, Voltage, Current, Power Density I. INTRODUCTION Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) technology is considered in the conversion of organic waste to clean and green energy in the form of electricity. This conversion utilizes microbes in the anodic chamber. Previous research on MFC's indicates that the anodic chamber is completely anaerobic with some employing facultative aerobic microbes. Organic substrates e.g. glucose, sewage sludge and petroleum hydrocarbon are oxidized to carbon dioxide, protons and electrons (Park and Zeikus, 2003; Min et al., 2005; Rabaey et al., 2005; Cheng et al., 2006; Morris and Jin, 2008). Although MFCs generate a lower amount of power than hydrogen fuel cells, a combination of both electricity production and wastewater treatment could reduce the cost of treating primary effluent wastewater. Currently, most of the research performed on MFCs is concerned with increasing the power density of the system with respect to the peripheral anode surface area, while little research has been done on determining the effects of voltage output in comparison to varying fuel cell components. (Eric A. Zielke (2005) Cow dung is rich in methanogenic bacteria as well as minerals that cow eat from herbs and other plants. Its color ranges from greenish blackish and sometimes it turns yellow due to chemical changes, fastened by sunlight. It is largely used for gobar gas plant, biogas plant, production of fertilizers, manures and many other organic products and cooking fuels. The biogas From cow dung is rich in methane and is used in rural areas providing a renewable and stable source of electricity (Thatoi, 2011). It is a cheap alternative source of fuel for cooking and production of electricity. It is also used as a plaster in rural areas. Biologically, it has anti-bacterial properties and therefore a vital source of organic fertilizer. Despite having plethora properties, Chakraborti et al., (2007) have exposed the arsenic poisoning by cow manure that has affected many in India. They have found a significant amount of arsenic's presence in the air, water etc. The poisoning leads to respiratory problems like chronic bronchitis, coughing, X-ray abnormalities etc. This adds to environmental disadvantages (Henrian, H et al., 2008). Still, many researchers have worked on the application of cow manure in microbial fuel cell, biogas plants, fuel production etc, keeping aside its demerits.