Abstract
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs), as a novel energy source, have attracted significant attention from researchers. Optimizing MFCs to achieve higher efficiency is a key focus of many studies. This research used the Box-Behnken experimental design and response surface methodology to analyze and optimize three factors (temperature, initial pH, and substrate concentration) for Lactiplantibacillus pentosus-MFCs. MFC performance was evaluated based on voltage and lactic acid concentration. Multiple experiments demonstrated that the highest power density of 84.4 mW/m² and lactic acid concentration of 36.1 g/L were achieved when the temperature was 32.7°C, initial pH was 6.88, and substrate concentration was 59.59 g/L. Data analysis confirmed the accuracy of the optimization. The response surface analysis revealed the effects of each factor on Lactiplantibacillus pentosus-MFCs and their interactions. However, Lactiplantibacillus pentosus-MFCs still face several challenges for future industrial applications. Further research and optimization of more operating conditions are required to improve the overall performance of MFCs.