Effect of Temperature Variation on the Performance of Microbial Fuel Cells

Abstract The anode of a microbial fuel cell (MFC) was inoculated using recycling activated sludge and incubated at 25 °C (start‐up temperature, denoted as 25 °C stu ) for 2 weeks, and the temperature was then stepwise changed to 35, 25, 45, and 25 °C. A maximum power density of 54 mW m −2 and a current density of 348 mA m −2 were observed at 25 °C stu . The MFC performances at 35 and 45 °C were much lower compared to 25 °C stu due to substrate limitations. After operation at 35 (11 days) and 45 °C (9 days), the temperature was switched back to the initial temperature of 25 °C, but the MFC performance did not recover to the initial level for 25 °C stu . These results confirm that after MFC stabilization at a start‐up temperature, the increase of MFC operating temperature could lead to a failure of the MFC system, indicating that the operating temperature of an MFC system for wastewater treatment should be stable and remain as identical to its start‐up temperature as possible.