| Summary: | Field studies were conducted through the unexplored wetlands of Kerala, the southernmost state of the Indian sub-continent, searching for the biocatalysts of the microbial fuel cell, the exoelectrogens. In-situ and ex-situ membrane-less microbial fuel cells were constructed to enrich, isolate, and characterize exoelectrogens. Exoelectrogenic property, Biofilm genesis ability, and waste removal capability of two novel candidates, Bacillus thuringiensis STV1324a and Bacillus aquimaris STV1324b, were confirmed with fuel cell operation, the chemical and biological oxygen demand removal studies and Scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Waste removal and clean water production ability of B.thuringiensis STV1324a and B.aquimaris STV1324b were successively analyzed on Coconut oil mill effluents, bakery wastewater, and synthetic municipal wastewater. Sonication pretreatment of wastes enhances overall waste removal properties up to 69.6% in B. thuringiensis STV1324a and 72% in B. aquimaris STV1324b. B. thuringiensis STV1324a and B.aquimaris STV1324b produced electricity with a maximum power density of 351.24 mW/m2 and 442.8 mW/m2, respectively. Exolectrogens with non-sonicated wastes shows lesser efficiency compared to those with sonicated.
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