Assessment of Bacillus Cereus Isolated from Petrochemical Waste (Bitumen) for Electricity Generation Using Microbial Fuel Cell Technology

The growing environmental concerns associated with petrochemical waste pollution necessitate sustainable remediation strategies. This study aims to evaluate the bioremediation capabilities of Bacillus cereus in degrading petrochemical pollutants and its potential for generating bioelectricity using Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs). Water and soil samples contaminated with petrochemical wastes were collected from Agbabu, Ondo State, Nigeria. Bacillus cereus was isolated and characterized using cultural techniques. Bioelectricity generation of Bacillus cereus was conducted using Microbial Fuel Cell (MFCs) technique. Physicochemical analyses were performed using standard methods. Bacillus cereus is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, catalase negative, and nitrate-reducing bacterium. It appeared as white, round and irregular/rhizoids on the plates. Heavy metal concentrations were higher in water compared to soil samples. In the microbial fuel cells, the chamber with KMnO4 demonstrated higher bioelectricity generation, with voltage outputs ranging from 0.524V to 1.058V and current up to 0.44A. Physicochemical content revealed soil pH of 6.73 and water pH of 8.3, with notable differences in conductivity and total dissolved solids. The study shows that Bacillus cereus exhibits robust potential for bioremediation of petrochemical pollutants while simultaneously generating bioelectricity. The significant reductions in TPAH levels for both soil and water samples further support the efficacy of this approach.