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Microbial fuel-cells: Electricity production from carbohydrates
Abstract
Microbial fuel cells containing Proteus vulgaris and oxidation-reduction ([open quotes]redox[close quotes]) mediators were investigated. The bacteria were chemically immobilized onto the surface of graphite felt electrodes, which supported production of continuous electric current and could be reused after storage. A computer-controlled carbohydrate feed system enabled the cell to generate a constant output with improved efficiency compared to the performance obtained with single large additions of fuel. The response to additions of substrate when immobilized bacteria were used was faster than that achieved with freely suspended organisms. This is attributed to the advantageous mass-transfer kinetics resulting from the proximity of the immobilized bacteria and the electrode surface. 16 refs., 6 figs.
... Bacteria are used as catalyst in microbial fuel cells use to oxidize organic and inorganic matter and generate current [3] [13] [12]. Recent studies have reported that oil and other fossil fuels will not be available in the next 100 years and it is expected that the demand for oil will exceed the production [2]. ...
... However, considering anticipated energy trends, a more reasonable projection is 27TW by 2050 and 43TW by 2100 [10]. By 2100 it is estimated that CO2 concentratio n will reach anywhere from 560ppm to 970ppm [2]. ...
... MFCs B and C showed maximum power density values of 0.0000256W/cm 2 and 0.00197W/cm 2 respectively, obtained from a 1000 Ω resistor. The power density was calculated from equation (2). ...
Three dual chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs) labeled MFC-A, MFC-B and MFC-C were fabricated with agar-agar salt bridge as the proton exchange membrane. Each of the MFCs contained wastewater as c atholyte. Biochemical and Physiological tests was carried out on the wastewater sample to obtain characteristics which will be helpful in the identification of microbial species in the sample and measure some physiological parameters. Readings of voltage and current with different resistors of 10Ω, 100Ω and 1000Ω and with no resistor was taken for 10 to 12 hours daily for 14 days. The power density was calculated for the MFCs. Also, the MFC performance was calculated in terms of various parameters such as Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), pH, Conductivity and Temperature. MFCs A, B and C showed a maximum voltage output of 0.987V, 1.621V and 1.409V respectively. The maximum power densities for MFCs A, B and C were calculated as 0.329W/cm 2 , 2.56 x 10-5 W/cm 2 and 0.00197W/cm 2 respectively. The BOD removal efficiency of MFCs A, B and C was calculated as 71.70%, 73.35% and 72.00% respectively.
... As they can catalyze more through oxidation of many biofuels and can be less susceptible to poisoning and loss of activity under normal operating conditions, this concretely proves their popularity. Experiments have been reported in which the microbes were suspended in a free motion in the anode solution, and the immobilization was performed on the cells of the microbial strain Proteus vulgaris on the electrodes of the graphite (Allen & Bennetto, 1993;Kim et al., 2000). This particular microbial cell further produced currents from the carbohydrates. ...
... Other MFCs had volumes of up to 200 cm 3 and were found to be capable of generating currents of up to 2 A (Drapcho et al., 2008). As an alternative to the earlier systems, in which the microorganisms were freely suspended in the anodic solution, microbial cells of P. vulgaris have been immobilized onto graphite felt electrodes and have been used to generate currents from carbohydrates (Allen & Bennetto, 1993). This immobilization led to faster responses to substrate addition, while the use of a constant feed system gave improved efficiencies when compared to single large additions of fuel. ...
The emergence of many urban problems in the field of urban transportation, such as air pollution, increased accidents, and economic losses, reinforces the need to move toward sustainable transportation. In this regard, it is very important to identify and prioritize sustainable transport development policies. In the meantime, creating a change in the type of consumption and changing the behavior of consumers are basic measures that urban managers should perform. Today’s world is the world of cars. We are looking for the highest efficiency with the least activity. In developing countries, the authorities are always looking to change the form and shape of the problem instead of the solution, and this always causes pollution, traffic jams, and more crises in the next decades. As long as we do not want to change anything, the situation is the same. This chapter has been compiled with a descriptive-analytical view and is based on documentary and library information. In this chapter we will challenge the concepts of sustainable development in relation to transportation.
... As they can catalyze more through oxidation of many biofuels and can be less susceptible to poisoning and loss of activity under normal operating conditions, this concretely proves their popularity. Experiments have been reported in which the microbes were suspended in a free motion in the anode solution, and the immobilization was performed on the cells of the microbial strain Proteus vulgaris on the electrodes of the graphite (Allen & Bennetto, 1993;Kim et al., 2000). This particular microbial cell further produced currents from the carbohydrates. ...
... Other MFCs had volumes of up to 200 cm 3 and were found to be capable of generating currents of up to 2 A (Drapcho et al., 2008). As an alternative to the earlier systems, in which the microorganisms were freely suspended in the anodic solution, microbial cells of P. vulgaris have been immobilized onto graphite felt electrodes and have been used to generate currents from carbohydrates (Allen & Bennetto, 1993). This immobilization led to faster responses to substrate addition, while the use of a constant feed system gave improved efficiencies when compared to single large additions of fuel. ...
Sustainable development is a concept that has emerged as a result of the negative environmental and social consequences of unilateral economic development approaches after the Industrial Revolution and the change in human attitudes toward the concept of growth and development. Sustainable development is a process that envisions a favorable future for human societies in which living conditions and the use of resources meet human needs without compromising the integrity, beauty, and stability of vital systems. Sustainable development provides solutions to the structural, social, and economic patterns of development to address issues such as the destruction of natural resources, the destruction of biological systems, pollution, climate change, population growth, injustice, and the declining quality of life of present and future humans. Sustainable development is a process that is adapted to current and future needs in the use of resources, investment guidance, technology development orientation, and institutional change. Sustainable development, which has been emphasized since the 1990s, is an aspect of human development related to the environment and future generations. The goal of human development is to cultivate human capabilities. Sustainable development as a process, while it is necessary for improvement and progress, provides the basis for improving the situation and eliminating the social and cultural shortcomings of advanced societies, and it should be the engine of balanced, proportionate, and coordinated economic, social, and cultural progress of all societies, especially countries. Sustainable development seeks to address the following basic needs: integrating conservation and development; meeting basic human biological needs; achieving social justice, autonomy, and cultural diversity; and protecting ecological unity. Hence the focus of sustainable development is much broader than just the environment. It is also about ensuring a strong, healthy, and just society. This means meeting the diverse needs of all individuals in present and future societies; promoting personal well-being, social cohesion, and inclusion; and creating equal opportunities.
... Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology has been used to convert the energy stored in chemical bonds in organic compounds to electricity which is achieved through the catalytic reactions by microorganisms. This has generated considerable interest among academic researchers in recent years [2] [4] [12]. Microbial fuel cells are not newthe idea of using microorganisms to catalyze fuel cells was explored from the 1970s [4] and microbial fuel cells treating domestic wastewater were presented in 1991 [6]. ...
... The release of stored carbon in fossil fuels is increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, with increases from 316ppm in 1959 to 377 ppm in 2004 [3]. By 2100 it is estimated that CO2 concentration will reach anywhere from 560 ppm to 970 ppm [2]. Today the greatest environmental challenge is to simultaneously solve energy production and CO2 release. ...
Two dual chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs) labelled MFC-A and MFC-B were fabricated with agar-agar salt bridge as the proton exchange membrane. Each of the MFCs contained wastewater gotten from an abattoir as the catholyte. The anolyte for MFC-A was potassium ferricyanide with double copper-copper electrodes while the anolyte for MFC-B was potassium permanganate with a single copper-copper electrode. Readings of voltage and current was taken for 10 to 12 hours daily for 14 days, a total of 495 hours. Also, the MFC performance was calculated in terms of various parameters such as Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), pH, conductivity and temperature. MFC-A showed a maximum voltage output of 1.812V while MFC-B showed a maximum of 1.718V. The BOD removal efficiency of MFCs A and B was calculated as 78.33% and 72.67%, respectively. MFC-A showed an average value of 1.643V on the last day of observation while MFC-B showed an average value of 1.531V on the 14 th day. An MFC generates electricity from wastewater. The voltage generated in an MFC is independent of the number of electrodes used, potassium ferricyanide gives a better result than potassium permanganate. BOD removal efficiency increases with the number of electrodes used.
... Electricity production is the principal identification and initial motive of the MFCs. MFC has been recorded for bioelectricity generation for well over a century (Potter 1910;Allen and Bennetto 1993;Mathuriya and Sharma 2009;Mathuriya and Pant 2019). Reports have shown that any chemical that can be oxidized by microbiota can further transform into electrical energy (Jadhav et al. 2018;. ...
... The results obtained were discouraging compared with the energetic alternative performances of the historic period. We had to wait until 1993 to obtain a serious interest in the argument, when Allen and Bennetto (1993) realized the first prototype of an electrochemical bioreactor able to reach interesting results in terms of current density using Proteus vulgaris as microorganism and, as substrate, glucose. That reactor was one of the first modern double chambers "microbial fuel cell" (MFC). ...
Bioelectrochemistry and, more specifically, microbial electrochemistry are research fields that establish their fundaments on the molecular and electrochemical link between microbes (also known as exoelectrogens or, focusing only on bacteria, electrochemically active bacteria) and electrodes. Bioelectrochemistry can be used as a strategy in bioremediation when traditional bioremediation is not an option due to the lack of suitable electron acceptors, and in which bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) are used for the removal of pollutants from the environment. For example, in subsurface hydrocarbon-polluted water, the absence of final electron acceptors may limit the biodegradation rate. Therefore, bioelectrochemical systems can be used as a sustainable remediation technology. Moreover, microbial metabolism can be stimulated in a BES when overpotential is applied, increasing the rate of pollutant degradation. BES has been studied for the remediation at laboratory and pilot scale of water, soil, and sediments affected by organic pollutants, such as hydrocarbons (aliphatic, aromatic) and chlorinated compounds. In addition, BES can be exploited as biosensors to detect organic pollutants in environmental matrices and remote sites. One of the main challenges in this field is to scale up the technology towards the commercial BES remediation applications.
... Electricity production is the principal identification and initial motive of the MFCs. MFC has been recorded for bioelectricity generation for well over a century (Potter 1910;Allen and Bennetto 1993;Mathuriya and Sharma 2009;Mathuriya and Pant 2019). Reports have shown that any chemical that can be oxidized by microbiota can further transform into electrical energy (Jadhav et al. 2018;. ...
... The results obtained were discouraging compared with the energetic alternative performances of the historic period. We had to wait until 1993 to obtain a serious interest in the argument, when Allen and Bennetto (1993) realized the first prototype of an electrochemical bioreactor able to reach interesting results in terms of current density using Proteus vulgaris as microorganism and, as substrate, glucose. That reactor was one of the first modern double chambers "microbial fuel cell" (MFC). ...
Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) with the coexistence of denitrifiers and electricigens were generally observed for simultaneous nitrogen removal and electricity production. As the increasing of nitrate, the percentage of denitrifiers increased and the percentage of electricigens relatively decreased until it lost its dominant position. In denitrifying BES, anodic heterotrophic denitrification could improve organics removal and energy recovery efficiency during the treatment of nitrate-containing wastewater. In this chapter, the developments of denitrifying BES as well as the evolution of the microbial community were comprehensively introduced. Furthermore, a special type of bacteria, denitrifying electricigens, was also introduced and utilized in BES for the treatment of nitrate-contaminated waters.
... Hemicellulose, an amorphous polymer of xylose (C 5sugar), C 6 sugars, and a variety of side-chains, is an important structural polysaccharide. Lignin is an amorphous co-polymer of phenyl-propene units formed via a random radical co-polymerization of coumaryl alcohol, coniferyl alcohol, and sinapyl alcohol [1][2][3] . Many renewable energy technologies are being continuously studied as a result of the increasing energy crisis. ...
... The benefits of using fuel cells include: clean, safe, noiseless, high energy efficiency, low emissions, and ease in operating. Biofuel cells use biocatalysts for the translation of chemical energy to electrical energy (Allen et al., 1993). The fuel cell is a device which uses traditional electrochemical technology to convert the energy produced either from a microbial metabolism or enzyme catalysis into electricity. ...
Renewable and clean forms of energy are one of the major needs at present. Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC’s) offers unambiguous advantages over other renewable energy conversion methods. Production of energy resources while minimizing waste is one of the best ways for sustainable energy resource management practices. The application of Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) may represent a completely new approach to wastewater treatment with the production of sustainable clean energy. The increase in energy demand can be fulfilled by Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) in the future. In recent years, researchers have shown that MFCs can be used to produce electricity from water containing glucose, acetate, or lactate. Studies on electricity generation using organic matter from wastewater as substrate are in progress. Waste biomass is a cheap and relatively abundant source of electrons for microbes capable of producing electrical current outside the cell. Rapidly developing microbial electrochemical technologies, such as microbial fuel cells, are part of a diverse platform of future sustainable energy and chemical production technologies. In the present investigation to study the two wastewater samples, municipal wastewater from nearby areas of Guntur (A.P.) and Dairy waste from Guntur (A.P.) were used as substrates in Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) to generate electricity. Along with electricity generation, the MFCs can successfully help in treating the same sewage samples. The parameters like pH, TS, TSS, TDS, BOD, and COD were analyzed for all two samples. The COD removal efficiency of the MFCs was analyzed using the standard reflux method. All the MFCs were efficient in COD removal. 50%, 75%, and 85% COD removal was observed after 10, 15, and 30 days respectively of operation of MFCs with municipal waste as substrate.
... Therefore, newer approaches like using fuel cells have emerged as a renewable energy sources that produces sufficient energy while at the same time reduces environmental damage. Among different kinds of fuel cells, Microbial Fuel Cells defined as devices which directly converts microbial metabolism into electricity have attracted researcher's attention (Allen, R.M. et al.,1993). The working principle of MFCs is based on the tenets of microbial physiology coupled with electrochemistry. ...
... Among fuel cells, Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) are special types of bio-fuel cells. It is a device that converts chemical energy into electricity through the catalytic activities of microorganisms (Allen and Bennetto, 1993). MFC treatment can reduce the BOD in wastewater by degrading organic matter (Liu et al., 2004). ...
Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) are devices that use bacteria to generate electricity from organic matter. In this study, the sewage waste was screened for pure cultures. Among the 10 isolated pure cultures, 2 showed best results (Staphylococcus and Enterobacteriaceae bacterium GP1). These were used in immobilized form as well to measure their electrochemical potential. These organisms are capable of transferring electrons to the anodic electrode of an MFC to generate an electric current. Further insights in to the anode reduction by these bio-film forming bacteria were gained through voltmeter. The redox, metabolites produced which varies with the different concentrations of ammonium and nitrogen sources was optimized. The power output was measured and compared among the organisms. 16s rRNA sequencing was done for the best strain after comparison. The bio-film formed on the anode for studied using scanning electron microscope.
... By oxidising the organic compounds, microorganisms make electrons available. This is transferred to the anode, and from there to the cathode through a circuit where they reduce the oxidant [110,117]. Hence, the efficiency of this transfer from chemical to electricity dramatically depends on the anode. The anode is the primary location where the microorganisms attach [47,118]. ...
The palladium (Pd)-catalysed reaction has attracted much attention, making Pd the most valuable of the four major precious metals. Several different forms of Pd can be used as a catalyst; nanoparticles (NPs) have the advantage of a high surface area:volume ratio. Since the chemical production of Pd NPs is not environmentally friendly, biological synthesis interest has grown. However, the production mechanism remained unknown in several cases and was recently described for the electroactive bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. The application of these green synthesised NPs was established in different fields. This review discusses the production pathway and the novel biological-inspired methods to produce tailored biogenic palladium nanoparticles (bio-Pd NPs), with their broad application fields as biogenic nanocatalysts. Two significant applications – reductive bioremediation of persistent organic contaminants and energy-producing microbial fuel cells – are discussed in detail. The current challenges in optimising bio-Pd NPs production and the potential research directions for the complete utilisation of its novel catalytic properties are highlighted.
... However, well-known researchers [10,11], such as Suzuki et al., [12] in 1976, made multiple attempts that resulted in a successful MFC design. The stereotypical design of MFC was given by Bennetto et al., [13] and Later, the University of Queensland in Australia, in collaboration with Foster's Brewing, produced a prototype MFC. In the anode chamber, microorganisms release electrons during substrate oxidation are transported to the cathode chamber via a conductive substance in an MFCs system. ...
The goal of this research was to improve electron generation in BMFC by utilizing potatoes waste as an electron donor source for bacterial species. Pollutant remediation is a secondary applications of BMFC, hence the current research investigated heavy metal remediation from wastewater and energized the system using potato waste. Within 20 days of operation, the present study provided 112 mV, with a maximum current density of 36.84 mA/m². The cell measured an internal resistance of 1557 Ω, which is bit higher than the external resistance. Several electrochemical studies were also carried out to validate the BMFC findings. On day 30, the specific capacitance was measured with a cyclic voltameter at 0.00057F/g to investigate the biofilm. It demonstrates that the biofilm remains stable throughout the BMFC process. Overall, the electrochemical studies demonstrated that potato waste was a good source of bacterial activity. The Enterobacter, Proteus, and Xenorhabdus species are detected on the surface of anode. Lastly, within 40 days, the maximum efficiency of metal remediation was found to be 94.20 % (Cd²⁺), 97.34 % (Pb²⁺), and 84.12 % (Cr³⁺).
... The schematic of a typical double chambered MFC (DCMFC) is represented in Fig. 13.1. This technology was furthered by Allen and Bennetto (1993) who used the pure culture of bacteria to catalyze the oxidation of organics using artificial mediators for easy electron transfer from bacteria to the anode. Further advancement in MFC studies was brought about by Kim et al. (1999) who introduced the concept of electrochemically active bacteria that could facilitate oxidation of a variety of substances. ...
Microbial Fuel cell (MFC) has come up as a promising technology for the treatment of wastewater along with simultaneous energy generation. In the initial stages of development of MFC technology, it was mainly used for organic matter removal, specially COD, but nowadays, it is also explored for treatments that include heavy metal removal/recovery, dye degradation and colour removal, nutrient toxicity removal (phosphate, nitrate) and treatment of other xenobiotic compounds like nitrobenzene, chlorobenzene and others. While conventional wastewater treatment technologies are costly due to their dependence on energy and chemicals, the MFC technology recovers energy from the wastewater during treatment. Further, there is no generation of toxic sludge in this bioelectrochemical method in contrast to that of traditional physico-chemical treatment methods. The present chapter critically discusses various applications of MFC technology in wastewater treatment along with its power generation scenario. Challenges associated with MFC technology to finally upscale it to the field level can be addressed by further research insights, particularly in the areas including electrode material, separators, biofilm communities, design and configuration briefly discussed in this study. The chapter critically assesses the technical and economic feasibility of MFC technology that can play an important role towards achieving the sustainability goals of clean water and alternate energy through energy-supported wastewater treatment.
... Microbial interference in addressing the issues related to environmental pollution could offer economically viable and socially acceptable solution. An integration of microorganisms and electrochemical systems has led to developing green technologies that could generate power from wastewater or polluted soils [18,19]. Microbial strains have been characterized for the development of bioplastic. ...
Microorganisms dominate the terrestrial environment at the Earth. They can thrive the moderate to harsh niches in the biosphere. It is desirable to explore the microbial resource for bioprospection, i.e. search for the seeds of useful biomolecules, biochemical, and genetic information. Bioprospection for microbes covers application to commodity chemical products, foods, medicines, cosmetics, environmentally friendly products, etc. The microbial resource has been demonstrated to be a biomass value of neutraceutical, pharmaceutical, food, biomedical, bioenergetic importance. The enormous microbial diversity is largely unexplored, yet. Extensive research is being done on exploiting the microbial diversity for the benefit of humanity. This book covers diverse aspects of bioprospecting of microorganisms for the extraction of several industrially important biomolecules.
... A microbial fuel cell is a renewable energy device that uses bacteria as a biocatalyst to convert the chemical energy into electrical energy via biochemical pathways during the wastewater treatment process [1][2][3][4]. Microbial fuel cell incorporating air-breathing cathodes is a new type of MFC (Figure 1), which had various advantages such as low operating cost and zero secondary pollution [2,5]. In an air cathode MFC, electrons produced by the bacteria are transferred to the anode and flow to the cathode. ...
Metal, as a high-performance electrode catalyst, is a research hotspot in the construction of a high-performance microbial fuel cell (MFC). However, metal catalyst nanoparticles and their dispersed carriers are prone to aggregation, producing catalytic electrodes with inferior qualities. In this study, Pd is uniformly dispersed on the graphene framework supported by carbon black to form nanocomposite catalysts (Pd/GO-C catalysts). The effect of the palladium loading amount in the catalyst on the catalytic performance of the air cathode was further studied. The optimized metal loading afforded a reduced resistance and improved accessibility of Pd particles for the ORR. The maximum current output of the 0.250 Pd (mg/cm2) MFC was 1645 mA/m2, which is 4.2-fold higher than that of the carbon paper cathode. Overall, our findings provide a novel protocol for the preparation of high-efficient ORR catalyst for MFCs.
... 12 As the direct transfer of electrons from bacteria to anode is easily hampered by the nonconductive lipid membrane of bacterial cells, the electron mediators have usually been involved in the earlier MFCs, which can accelerate electron transfer through the capture of electrons from the interior of bacterial cells and their release to anode. [13][14][15] Considering the cost, toxicity, and the need for constant replenishment, the addition of mediators seems not to be sustainable. Therefore, the MFC technology was found to be stagnated until 1999, when the exoelectrogens that directly transfer electrons to electrodes were gradually revealed. ...
For the performance improvement of microbial fuel cells (MFCs), the anode becomes a breakthrough point due to its influence on bacterial attachment and extracellular electron transfer (EET). On other level, carbon materials possess the following features: low cost, rich natural abundance, good thermal and chemical stability, as well as tunable surface properties and spatial structure. Therefore, the development of carbon materials and carbon‐based composites has flourished in the anode of MFCs during the past years. In this review, the major carbon materials used to decorate MFC anodes have been systematically summarized, based on the differences in composition and structure. Moreover, we have also outlined the carbon material‐based hybrid biofilms and carbon material‐modified exoelectrogens in MFCs, along with the discussion of known strategies and mechanisms to enhance the bacteria‐hosting capabilities of carbon material‐based anodes, EET efficiencies, and MFC performances. Finally, the main challenges coupled with some exploratory proposals are also expounded for providing some guidance on the future development of carbon material‐based anodes in MFCs.
... Una tecnología que utiliza células de combustible microbianas (CCM), convierten la energía almacenada en los enlaces químicos de los compuestos orgánicos en energía eléctrica lograda a través de las reacciones catalíticas de los microorganismos, ha generado considerable interés entre los investigadores académicos en los últimos años (Allen & Bennetto, 2009) (Gil, y otros, 2003) (Moon, Chang, & Kim, 2006) (Choi, Jung, Kim, & Jung, 2003). Las bacterias pueden ser utilizados en una CCM para generar electricidad, mientras que cumplen el papel de Biorremediación y degradación de materia orgánica (Park & Zeikus, 2000) (Oh & Logan, Hydrogen and electricity production from a foodprocessing wastewater using fermentation and microbial fuel celltechnologie, 2005). ...
This project consists of building a microbial fuel cell with stainless steel and graphite electrodes, and evaluating the electrical performance using synthetic wastewater.
... Bio-battery consists of two electrodes (anode and cathode), enzymes, and electronic mediators that transfer electrons between electrodes and the enzymes (Togibasa et al. 2019). The amount of organic substance availability in wastewater possesses significant energy and promising technology for converting this sustainable carbon source into electrical energy would contribute largely to the present energy requirement (Allen and Bennetto 1993;Angenent et al. 2010;Ismail and Habeeb 2017;Rabaey and Verstraete 2005). ...
Renewable energy such as microbial fuel cell may be an important promising potential alternative source to conventional fuels in energy production as well as wastewater treatment. In the present article, the sediment sludge in microbial fuel cell was adopted for generating electricity. The experimental data illustrated that the organic contents of the sludge sample have a major impact on the produced power despite the low bacterial presence. It was shown that a 38% increase in the organic content resulted a 86% increase in generated power. Doubling electrodes surface area increased generated power by 40% for the anode and 60% for the cathode. In addition, introducing excessive oxygen to both anode and cathode chambers has a negative impact and decreased the power by 30% especially with the presence of oxygen in the anode chamber. Connecting cells in series increased internal resistance, but overall produced power was increased by almost 30%. A distance of 8–10 cm between anode and cathode was found to be optimum. In addition, the results also showed that the system exposure to oxygen continuously causes a decrease in the amount of energy generated due to the influence of the anaerobic environment in the anode region. With a continuous run of sediment microbial fuel cell for the duration of 4 days, a stable increasing rate of power generation was achieved.
... Current generated can be find out using ohm's law I = V∕R Then power generated, P = VI or P = V 2 ∕R Power density = P/A of anode To test the current producing capability of the cell, they were allowed to discharge through different range of resistances and the polarizing curves were [8] constructed. ...
As the world grapples with an imminent energy crisis brought on by the depletion of nonrenewable resources, such as petroleum, the necessity for alternative and eco-friendly power sources becomes increasingly apparent. In this regard harnessing knowledge gained from natural microorganisms to produce electricity using economical substrates is a promising solution through microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Microbial fuel cells leverage microbes' catabolic abilities to break down organic matter and release electrons that are subsequently transported across an external circuit for electricity generation. This article delves into the fundamental components involved in MFC construction and explores crucial factors that impact their performance including substrate oxidation, electron transfer, and internal resistance. Additionally, it offers a comprehensive analysis of existing microbial fuel cell designs while highlighting their respective strengths and weaknesses. Finally, the article showcases cost-effective MFC models based on thorough studies conducted worldwide while illuminating potential practical applications of this renewable energy technology.
This review article addresses microbial fuel cells (MFCs) as a renewable energy source. MFCs are bioelectrochemical systems that use exoelectrogenic bacterial communities under anaerobic conditions to convert chemical energy into electrical energy. These systems are attracting attention due to their potential to reduce overall energy consumption, produce zero carbon emissions, and exhibit high energy density. The rapid development of renewable energy sources has increased the potential for bioenergy, particularly MFCs, to become one of the most important energy sources of the future. In addition to energy production, MFCs show potential for bioremediation and efficient removal of various pollutants. While MFC technology currently has limited application at the laboratory level, it is expected to increase in commercial use in the near future and offers great potential in the areas of renewable energy and environmental sustainability. This review article focuses on the historical and ecological development of the components used in MFCs, examining in detail their evolution and use in MFCs for renewable energy production.
Anode material and surface properties have a crucial impact on the performance of MFCs. Designing and fabricating various modified carbon-based anodes with functional materials is an effective strategy to improve anode performance in MFCs. Anode materials with excellent bioaffinity can promote bacterial attachment, growth, and extracellular electron transfer. In this study, positively charged nano hydroxyapatite (nHA) with remarkable biocompatibility combined with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with unique structure and high conductivity were used as anode modifying material. The nHA/CNTs modified carbon brush (CB) exhibited improved bacteria adsorption capacity, electrochemical activity and reticular porous structure, thus providing abundant sites and biocompatible microenvironment for the attachment and growth of functional microbial and accelerating extracellular electron transfer. Consequently, the nHA/CNTs/CB-MFCs achieved the maximum power density of 4.50 ± 0.23 mW m-2, which was 1.93 times higher than that of the CB-MFCs. Furthermore, diclofenac sodium (DS), which is a widely used anti-inflammatory drug and is also a persistent toxic organic pollutant constituting a serious threat to public health, was used as the model organic pollutant. After 322 days of long-term operation, enhanced diclofenac sodium removal efficiency and simultaneous bioelectricity generation were realized in nHA/CNTs/CB-MFCs, benefiting from the mature biofilm and the diverse functional microorganisms revealed by microbial community analysis. The nHA/CNTs/CB anode with outstanding bioaffinity, electrochemical activity and porous structure presents great potential for the fabrication of high-performance anodes in MFCs.
Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an interesting technology capable of converting the chemical energy stored in organics to electricity. It has raised high hopes among researchers and end users as the world continues to face climate change, water, energy, and land crisis. This review aims to discuss the journey of continuously progressing MFC technology from the lab to the field so far. It evaluates the historical development of MFC, and the emergence of different variants of MFC or MFC-associated other technologies such as sediment-microbial fuel cell (S-MFC), plant-microbial fuel cell (P-MFC), and integrated constructed wetlands-microbial fuel cell (CW-MFC). This review has assessed primary applications and challenges that are needed to overcome existing limitations for its commercialization. In addition, it further illustrates the design and potential applications of S-MFC, P-MFC, and CW-MFC and presents their status as budding technologies. Lastly, the maturity and readiness of MFC, S-MFC, P-MFC, and CW-MFC for real-world implementation was assessed by multicriteria-based assessment. Wastewater treatment efficiency, bioelectricity generation efficiency, energy demand, cost investment, and scale-up potential were mainly considered as key criteria. Other sustainability criteria, such as life cycle and environmental impact assessments, to get insight into the longevity of commercialized technology were also evaluated.
Enzymes and related products derived from microorganisms form the foundation for the working of bio-based technologies due to their enzymatic activities. The microorganisms offer wide applications such as delignification, oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, etc., with the help of enzymes and related products derived from them. They can be used to produce various value-added products/chemicals and biofuels. Numerous bio-based alternatives have been explored worldwide to develop sustainable technologies via the utilization of microorganisms and enzymes. These bio-based products can be used to replace the conventional chemicals and fuels currently used, leading to a greener society. Applications of microbes and their enzymatic system have also been extended to various domains such as healthcare, bioremediation, food industry, bioelectricity, etc. Bioelectricity by using microorganisms in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) has been receiving attention globally as it can be an efficient source for a steady supply of energy and job opportunities. Also, the utilization of wastewater in MFCs for electricity generation adds up to its positive environmental impacts. The current chapter deals with the use of microorganisms and derived enzymes in various industrial sectors. The principle behind the utilization of microbes in MFCs and wastewater mitigation strategies are also discussed. Lastly, the limitations and prospects are highlighted to understand its potential future role and possible opportunities.
Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an outstanding technology recently creating the headlines relating to energy and environment field that been discovered since the earlier 20th century. It has been furthered implemented for energy renewable through simultaneous bioremediation of wastes. MFC works by converting chemical energy store in the waste into electrical energy with the help of selected microorganisms. Regarding to this, the principle of bioremediation was applied using MFC as the renewable energy where the microorganisms consume the substrate thus generating electrical energy. Many studies done by researches are mostly focusing on MFC utilizing waste and measuring the power generation on different type of MFC but lack of studies on the effect of series and parallel circuit in MFC setup and how does it differentiate the outcome of the studies. This paper reviews the history, working principle, design of MFC, classification of different substrates and its power output and the effect of series and parallel circuit of MFC setup for simultaneous bioremediation and energy recovery.
Nowadays there is a concern to improve the quality of education by including an interdisciplinary approach of concepts and their integration in the curriculum of scientific disciplines. The development of microbial fuel cells as a potential alternative for production of renewable energies gives undergraduate students the challenge of integrating interdisciplinary concepts in a hot topic of global interest as alternative energies. We present a laboratory experiment that has been part of a third‐year undergraduate course in biology where students gained experience in assembling microbial fuel cells and the understanding of how they work. In this process, the students could integrate biological, biochemical, and electric concepts. In addition, the acquisition of manual skills and experimental design decisions are important for the development of future professionals.
Innovations in biotechnology have contributed immensely in the age of growing phyto-power systems. This has fueled the use of integrated plant biotechnology and ecotechnology to develop oxygenated biofuels by using a phyto base as a primary source for the production of biofuels. Furthermore, it has also contributed to the reduction of power output, with greater energy efficiency of these fuels. While various research studies have been conducted to study physicochemical and toxicological characters of these, along with studying the impact of oxygen levels on plant productivity. It has led to developing eco-friendly solutions such as the leaner lifted-flame combustion strategy, which offers a reduction in soot and provides an alternative to low-temperature combustion, and others such as ethanol and biodiesel, which represent the first generation of biofuel technology. With the advancement in this technology, advanced biofuels are also manufactured from nonfood crops and algae as the main feedstock, thereby increasing the fuel potential and providing a diverse array of carbon sources. In this chapter we discuss the development of oxygenated biofuels through the intervention of plant biotechnology with futuristic mechanics that have integrated and upgraded the fuel potential and created a diverse refinery over natural resources for a sustainable future.
The jumps are the fundamental activities of human beings which had catered the food gathering and safety need of man kind right from the ancient times. Competitive jumps had come a long way in the development of technique and style. Purpose of this study was to compare the various joint breadths of Indian elite male athletes of different jumping events, 100 Indian elite male Jumpers (25 each of High jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump and Pole vault) were selected from various National level competitions and sports camps, and SAI Hostels of India. The gathered data of Humerous and Femerous bi-epicondylar, Wrist and Ankle joint was analysed by Analysis of variance (ANOVA). The
Result of the study had shown that Triple jumpers are greater in Humerus bi-epicondylar, Ankle breadth and Wrist breadth than long jumpers, high jumpers and pole vaulters whereas no significant difference was seen in Femerus bi-epicondyle width of elite male jumpers of India.
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are biochemical devices with the tendency to produce energy from bacteria-catalyzed by-products, in turn solving environmental pollution problems emanating from fossil fuel energy releases. High levels of wastewater produced during palm oil processing may have deleterious effects on environmental systems and biological entities. MFCs are quite effective for wastewater treatment, biosensing, robotics, biohydrogen, and bioelectricity production. Palm oil processing wastewater can be used in bioelectricity production, thereby minimizing the amount of energy derived from fossil fuels. Moreover, it can solve the problem of the direct discharge of wastewater into the environment. This study focuses on the various types of MFCs and their architectural design and intrinsic and extrinsic factors that may influence bioelectricity production, the treatment efficiency of palm oil mill effluents, and their sustainability. This chapter also presents the potential barriers involved in the process. Some artificial intelligence processes are discussed, particularly the incorporation of smart technology for efficient energy use. This is covered because this technology may have strong potential for maximizing the management of palm oil mill effluents, particularly because of its likelihood to lessen the negative environmental impacts associated with the indiscriminate discharge of these effluents. This type of technology may provide a sustainable clean energy solution with a tendency to reduce environmental damage associated with wastewater release while highlighting some positive and innovative applications of MFCs in waste minimization.
Electroactive microorganisms play a significant role in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). These devices are environmentally friendly and can turn large quantities of organic material into renewable energy based on microbial diversity. Based on broad microbial diversity, it is necessary to obtain a comprehensive understanding of their resource distribution and to discover potential resources. In this study, sweet potato tissues were selected to isolate endophytic bacteria, and the electrochemical activity potential of those bacteria was evaluated by high-throughput screening with a WO3 nanoprobe. This study was screened and obtained a strain SHE10 with electrochemical performance from the rhizome of sweet potato by a WO3 nanoprobe, which was identified as Shinella zoogloeoides. After nearly 600 h of voltage monitoring and cyclic voltammetry analysis, the results showed that the average voltage of S. zoogloeoides SHE10 reached 122.5 mV in stationary period. The maximum power density is 78.3 ± 1.8 mW/m², and the corresponding current density is 223.0 mA/m². The good redox reaction also indicated that the strain had good electrical activity. Its electron transfer mode was diverse, but its power generation mechanism still needs to be further discussed. The study of S. zoogloeoides SHE10 provides scientific theoretical reference for expanding the resource pool of electroproducing bacteria and the types of electroproducing microorganisms.
Environmental pollution and energy shortage are two important concerns that may seriously impair the sustainable development of our society. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are attractive technology for the direct conversion of chemical energy of organic wastes into electric power to realize simultaneous electrical power recovery and environmental remediation. In comparison to organic wastewater, solid organic waste is more difficult to be degraded. Food waste as one of the important organic wastes has significant impact on our ecosystem. Here, by taking solid potato waste (SPW) as a typical solid food waste, the impact of waste activated sludge (WAS) as a second waste to introduce synergistic effects between them to enhance waste-to-power conversion in microbial fuel cell (MFC) was systematically investigated. For the MFCs with seven different mixing ratios of SPW and WAS, the MFC with mixing ratio of 6:1 produced the highest maximum current density and maximum power density of 320.1 mA/m² and 14.1 mW/m². Mixing larger ratios of WAS (2:1 and 4:1) resulted in only a very slight increase in coulombic efficiency; while mixing smaller ratios of WAS (6:1, 8:1 and 10:1) significantly increased the coulombic efficiency, and the coulombic efficiency showed an obvious increase as the WAS mixing ratio decreased. Less humic acid- and fulvic acid-like substances were formed from the hydrolysis and degradation of SPW and WAS, and most of dissolved macromolecular organic matters were hydrolyzed into organic fractions with small molecular weight. Principal component analysis indicated that the composition of dissolved organic matters was significantly influenced by different mixing ratios of SPW and WAS throughout the operation. The study provides a promising strategy for enhancing energy recovery from SPW in MFCs.
Soil has been used to generate electrical power in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and unveiled numerous potential applications. This study aims to disclose the outcome of soil properties on the generated electricity and the range of soil source exoelectrogenic bacteria. Soil samples will be studied across Nashik area and packed into air-cathode MFCs to generate electricity over a long duration such as 270 days period. The bacteria are cultured using the agar solution in the laboratory. Culturable strains of Fe(III)-reducing bacteria were isolated and identified phylogenetically. Their exoelectrogenic ability was evaluated by polarization measurement. The sequencing of Fe(III)-reducing bacteria showed that Clostridia were dominant in all soil samples. The expected outcomeof the study is that soil OC content had the most important effect on power generation and that the Clostridiaceae were the dominant exoelectrogenic bacterial group in soil. This study might lead to the discovery of more soil source exoelectrogenic bacteria species.
Aims:
Electroactive microorganisms play a significant role in microbial fuel cells. It is necessary to discover potential resources in plant endophytes. In this study, plant tissues were selected to isolate endophytic bacteria, and the electrochemical activity potential was evaluated.
Methods and results:
The microbial fuel cell (MFC) is used to evaluate the electricity-producing activity of endophytic bacteria in plant tissues, and the species distribution of microorganisms in the anode of the MFC after inoculation of plant tissues is determined by high-throughput sequencing. Twenty-six strains of bacteria were isolated from plant tissues belonging to Angelica and Sweet Potato, of which 17 strains from 6 genera had electrochemical activity, including Bacillus sp., Pleomorphomonas sp., Rahnella sp., Shinella sp., Paenibacillus sp. and Staphylococcus sp.. Moreover, the electricity-producing microorganisms in the plant tissue are enriched. Pseudomonas and Clostridioides are the dominant genera of MFC anode inoculated with angelica tissue. Staphylococcus and Lachnoclostridium are the dominant genera in MFC anode inoculated with sweet potato tissue. And the most representative Gram-positive strain Staphylococcus succinus subsp. succinus H6 and plant tissue were further analyzed for electrochemical activity. And a strain numbered H6 and plant tissue had a good electrogenerating activity.
Conclusion:
This study is of great significance for expanding the resource pool of electricity-producing microorganisms and tapping the potential of plant endophytes for electricity-producing.
Significance and impact of study:
This is the first study to apply plant endophytes to MFC to explore the characteristics of electricity production. It is of great significance for exploring the diversity of plant endophytes and the relationship between electricity producing bacteria and plants.
Possibility of pyrolyzing high-density polyethylene (HDPE) waste and activating the HDPE-derived carbon (HDC) to be utilized as an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst in microbial fuel cell (MFC) was explored. The Fourier transform infra-red spectrum of synthesized HDC indicated the presence of key surface functional groups that aid in catalyzing ORR, while the X-ray diffractogram indicated carbonization of HDC that enhanced electrical conductivity. Cyclic voltammogram and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of HDC demonstrated an ORR peak current density of − 2.46 mA cm‒2, which was found to be comparable with commercial activated carbon (AC, − 2.71 mA cm‒2). The MFC with HDC as cathode catalyst (MFC–HDC) rendered a power density (115 mW m‒2) that was only 25% lower than the MFC with commercial AC as a catalyst (MFC–AC). Organic matter removal efficiency of MFC–HDC was comparable to MFC–AC. Thus, the low-cost HDC electrocatalyst (0.025 $ g‒1) exhibited catalytic performance comparable with AC (12 $ g‒1) and difference between the performance of the two MFCs with HDC and AC as catalyst can be attributed to the lower specific surface area (232 m2 g‒1) of the HDC catalyst as compared to AC (1200 m2 g‒1). Thus, for future applications, the specific surface area of HDC catalyst need to be improved to make it competitive with commercial AC.
The generation of energy and its efficient use in industries and agriculture are critical to any country's growth. A country like India, which is still developing, faces a major challenge in terms of generating adequate electricity. With the current crisis and environmental concerns, the government must look past carbon-based energy sources and into long-term energy sources. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a form of technology that can be used to both treat wastewater and generate electricity on a large scale. Researchers play a critical role in making this technology practical and effective enough to be implemented. However, since the charge of building microbial fuel cells is superior than the cost of fossil fuels, it is unlikely that power production will continually be aggressive with existing energy generation approaches. However, improvements in power densities and lower material expenses could render microbial fuel cells a viable option for energy making in the future. Following a thorough literature review, the analysis resumes the role of micro-organisms and substrates in the anode chamber. Microbial fuel cells are discussed in terms of their forms, materials, mechanism, and activity. This analysis discusses the various factors that influence microbial fuel cells, as well as contemporary challenges and applications in the development of sustainable electrical power.
The present research deals with the development of Solid Phase Microbial Fuel Cell (SMFC) using the organic wastes and their admixture in the presence of 0.01% fulvic acid. The organic wastes such as fallen leaves (FL), bamboo waste (BW), leaf mould (LM), rice bran (RB) and fulvic acid (FA) were used during the operation of SMFC. The anode and cathode materials were bamboo carbon (with iron winding) and granular activated carbon respectively. The study explored the possibilities of generating power due to the microbial degradation of chosen organic wastes and their admixtures. The polarization curves were plotted with the current – voltage and current – power characteristics for the influence of organic wastes and the admixtures in the presence of fulvic acid. The maximum electrical power of 1071 mWm⁻² was generated using the organic admixture containing BW, LM and RB in the presence of FA. The SMFC with different admixtures corroborated the microbial degradation of organic compounds and the subsequent power generation with respect to days. The admixture used in the SMFC was proved very effective as compost in growing Komatsuna seeds with a scope for recycling and zero disposal. The Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy study corroborated the influence of admixture compositions in the variation of resistance values. The characterization studies such as SEM (with EDS), FTIR, Raman and BET studies corroborated the changes caused to the surface of the bamboo carbon anode. The cost analysis confirmed that the fabrication of SMFC unit is inexpensive thanks to the consumables from sustainable sources.
Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) represent a wide range of different biofilm-based bioreactors that includes microbial fuel cells (MFCs), microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) and microbial desalination cells (MDCs). The first described bioelectrical bioreactor is the Microbial Fuel Cell and with the exception of MDCs, it is the only type of BES that actually produces harvestable amounts of electricity, rather than requiring an electrical input to function. For these reasons, this review article, with previously unpublished supporting data, focusses primarily on MFCs. Of relevance is the architecture of these bioreactors, the type of membrane they employ (if any) for separating the chambers along with the size, as well as the geometry and material composition of the electrodes which support biofilms. Finally, the structure, properties and growth rate of the microbial biofilms colonising anodic electrodes, are of critical importance for rendering these devices, functional living ‘engines’ for a wide range of applications.
Environmental and economic considerations suggest a more efficient and comprehensive use of biomass for bioenergy production. One of the most attractive technologies is the microbial fuel cell using the catabolic activity of microorganisms to generate electricity from organic matter. The microbial fuel cell (MFC) has operational benefits and higher performance than current technologies for producing energy from organic materials because it converts electricity from the substrate directly (at ambient temperature). However, MFCs are still not suitable for high energy demand due to practical limitations. The overall performance of an MFC depends on the electrode material, the reactor design, the operating parameters, substrates, and microorganisms. Furthermore, the optimization of the parameters will lead to the commercial development of this technology in the near future. The simultaneous effect of the parameters on each other (intensifier or attenuator) has also been investigated. The investigated parameters in this study include temperature, pH, flow rate and hydraulic retention time, mode, external resistance, and initial concentration. HIGHLIGHTS
We discuss about operating parameters that affect MFC in this review.;
Knowing different parameters.;
Simultaneous effect of parameters on each other.;
The concentration effect and the impact of nitrogen presence.;
The flexibility of the system.;
Optimize and design it better.;
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and plant microbial fuel cells (PMFCs) are two types of bioelectrochemical technology. These two systems each have a compact design, low cost, and renewable energy production. This chapter summarizes the latest literature regarding MFCs, soil MFCs, and PMFCs for wastewater treatment and soil remediation. The first part contains an introduction of the concepts, history, and principle involved. It shows that microorganisms play a key role in the electricity production of MFCs and PMFCs. Then, the relevant materials and configurations are also summarized. New materials, decoration, and modifications have improved the performance of MFCs and PMFCs. Afterward, based on these concepts, applying MFCs in treatment for domestic wastewater, agricultural wastewater, and industrial wastewater can remove pollutions and generate electricity. Soil MFCs for remediating organic pollutions and heavy metals can produce power through long‐term operation due to the large soil resources in the environment. The advantages of bioelectrochemical technology and plant uptake in PMFCs have multiple functions, and their mechanisms achieved high pollution removal for wastewater treatment and soil remediation. Finally, further research should be performed to optimize the designs, materials, soil properties, microorganisms, and plant species to improve the electrical generation, pollution removal, and applicability of such systems.
Biotechnological processes for biohydrogen production have been developed in recent years, among which dark fermentation and the use of microbial electrolysis cells are two technologies with economic feasibility for the production of organic acids and gaseous fuels such as hydrogen. One of the advantages of these technologies is the possibility of using organic waste as a substrate for the application of the bioprocess. In this chapter, the background, fundamentals and applications of both technologies are presented. Dark fermentation can produce hydrogen, CO2, and volatile fatty acids as final byproducts of the anaerobic conversion of substrates rich in carbohydrates. This process can be used as an initial step in a biorefinery for the treatment of waste and production of energy and value-added subproducts. Microbial electrolysis cells combine electrochemical cell elements such as electrodes and an external energy source with characteristics of biological reactors to produce energy in the form of electrical current, biogas and hydrogen. Hydrogen gas is formed through the combination of abiotic and biological electrochemical reactions, the latter being catalyzed by electroactive microorganisms. Microbial electrolysis cells represent a flexible technology that provides multiple routes to take advantage of residual biomass for energy production; the focus in this chapter is to describe relevant aspects that characterize this technology.
The requirement for a low-cost option for wastewater treatment and simultaneous bioenergy and resource recovery from the wastewater to make treatment sustainable has prompted the researchers to seek innovative technologies. Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is one of the bio-based novel technologies that converts the chemical energy of substrate into electrical energy using electrochemically active bacteria as biocatalyst. With the forefront energy crisis, the MFC has gained widespread popularity due to its capability to harvest direct electricity, while simultaneously treating wastewater. To make this technology scalable, significant efforts and modifications have been attempted by the researchers, including improved design, hybrid concepts, use of low-cost materials for the basic components (electrodes, membrane), establishing innovative low-cost catalysts, identifying several microorganisms as exoelectrogens and methods of pre-treatment of mixed anaerobic sludge to enrich electrogens, etc. This review summarises some of these recent advances pertaining to the MFC and few upscaling applications of MFC. Furthermore, a concise future scope is elaborated in the view of common challenges in the field of MFC for wastewater treatment.
In this study, the zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) and electrospinning polyacrylonitrile membrane were combined to prepare electrospinning carbon nanofibers composite cathode (ZIF-67/CNFs) which could enhance the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) cathode. The optimum electrode 3 wt.% ZIF-67/CNFs revealed the excellent ORR performance with a half-wave potential of -0.03 V vs. Ag/AgCl, which was more positive than Pt/C-CC (-0.09 V vs. Ag/AgCl). The highest output voltage (607 ± 9 mV) and maximum power density (1.191 ± 0.017 W m⁻²) were obtained when the prepared ZIF-67/CNFs electrode was applied to the cathode of MFC (ZIF-67/CNFs-MFC). In addition, ZIF-67/CNFs-MFC showed the best pollutant removal effect. Geobacter was the highest proportion of microbial in ZIF-67/CNFs-MFC. The results have shown that the application of ZIF-67/CNFs electrode to MFC cathode is promising.
Phenol is one of the most commonly known chemical compound found as a pollutant in the chemical industrial wastewater. This pollutant has potential threat for human health and environment, as it can be easily absorbed by the skin and the mucous. Here, we prepared dual chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC) sensor for the detection of phenol. Varying concentration of phenol (100 mg/l, 250 mg/l, 500 mg/l, and 1000 mg/l) was applied as a substrate to the MFC and their change in output voltage was also measured. After adding 100 mg/l, 250 mg/l, 500 mg/l, and 1000 mg/l of phenol as sole substrate to the MFC, the maximum voltage output was obtained as 360 ± 10 mV, 395 ± 8 mV, 320 ± 7 mV, 350 ± 5 mV respectively. This biosensor was operated using industrial wastewater isolated microbes as a sensing element and phenol was used as a sole substrate. The topologies of ANN were analyzed to get the best model to predict the power output of MFCs and the training algorithms were compared with their convergence rates in training and test results. Time series model was used for regression analysis to predict the future values based on previously observed values. Two types of mathematical modeling i.e. Scaled Conjugate Gradient (SCG) algorithm and Time-series model was used with 44 experimental data with varying phenol concentration and varying synthetic wastewater concentration to optimize the biosensor performance. Both SCG and time series showing the best results with R2 value 0.98802 and 0.99115.
The chemical energy contained in wastewater can be considered as a promising sustainable energy source and can be recovered using microbial fuel cell technology by means of electro-active bacteria. There are several brewery industries releasing wastewater into the environment, posing serious environmental issues. Herein, we demonstrated treatment of brewery wastewater and production of bioelectricity simultaneously using double chamber MFCs by inoculating locally isolated microorganisms. Microorganisms were locally isolated from brewery waste sludge (named as BSGB1 and BSGB2), brewery wastewater (BWGB3 and BWGB4) and food processing industry waste sludge (FSGB5 and FSGB6). Total dissolved solids (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) were determined before and after treatment of brewery wastewater by locally isolated microorganisms. The results revealed that the microorganisms isolated from brewery waste sludge outperformed the bacteria isolated from brewery wastewater and food processing industry waste sludge. The maximum power density of 0.8 W/m 3 and 0.35 W/m 3 was generated by MFC inoculated with locally isolated microorganisms from brewery waste sludge using the synthetic and real-brewery wastewater, respectively. The removal efficiency of COD was 79− 83%, indicating significant treatment of brewery waste-water by locally isolated microorganisms while generating sustainable and clean energy.
Water-energy crisis and wastewater treatment (WWT) issues can be addressed simultaneously in microbial fuel cell (MFC). Being a microbial electrochemical technology, it provides flexible platform for both aerobic and anoxic treatment processes and hence provides efficient WWT solution. Simple substrate to complex industrial wastewater can be effectively treated in such system. Over the advancement in research, MFC is capable to harvest electricity from nW to kW/m³ with use of high redox catalysts and novel electrodes. The output electrical energy is sufficient to operate the different electronic appliances. With biostimulation approach, MFC can be a good option as biosensor to detect the concentration of heavy metals, COD dose, pH. Additionally, MFC attracts attention for by-product recovery during WWT. Valuable products and resources such as struvite from urine, manure, H2O2, NaOH, H2 and methane gas, and other chemicals can be recovered during electrochemical reactions. According to various applications, MFC can be used for carbon capture and sequestration (in microbial carbon capture cells), for desalination of saline water (in microbial desalination cells), for biohydrogen production (in MFC-electrolysis coupled cell), for utilizing sediment as carbon source (in benthic MFC), for sanitation (in bioelectric toilet), and so on. In advance WWT system, MFC can be pre-treatment or post-treatment obtain for efficient WWT. Thus, it can be solution for biological oxidation process and as a tertiary treatment for disinfection, denitrification, aeration to make effluent suitable for discharge. Thus, MFC provides efficient and effective solution for WWT along with electricity and by-product recovery for sustainable development.
Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) are emerging environmental biotechnologies that involve microbial interfacial electron transfer and electrochemical transformations for achieving sustainable energy and carbon neutrality. BESs provide an excellent strategy for the processes based on microbial metabolic oxidation and reduction in comparison to conventional chemical and environmental processes. Thus, a plethora of applications including electricity production via oxidation of the waste biodegradable substrates in the anode compartment and the use of this electricity (along with additional required energy) for production of chemicals and energy carriers (such as H2) in the cathode compartment has sparked a great interest in BESs. In this chapter, a brief introduction to BESs is provided along with reviews about microbial, technological, and thermodynamic fundamentals of the BES technology, and different applications and the latest progress in the field of BESs are briefly discussed.
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