Microbial fuel cells: a sustainable solution for bioelectricity generation and wastewater treatment

ABSTRACT

A microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an advance device to contend with three-dimensional problems of fossil fuel-based energy production with high-cost and pollution-generating units. It is an emerging technology of wastewater treatment with energy production. It has the potential to utilize wastewater as feed substrate for microorganisms and to generate bio-electricity. MFCs can also applied in carbon capture, bioremediation, biosensing, bio-hydrogen production and desalination. In this review, the major focus is on treatment of wastewater integrated with bio-electricity production by MFC. Information about various designs of MFC, electrode materials, important process parameters (pH, temperature, etc.) and the most recent integrated technology of MFC with natural water bodies (hybrid MFCs) is also reviewed. This technology holds promise for a clean and green environment, and its successful applications provide a new outlook for engineers and scientists.

KEYWORDS:

• Microbial fuel cell; wastewater treatment
• bio-electricity
• hybrid MFCs
• carbon capture; desalination
• biosensor

Acknowledgments

Financial assistance in the form of a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) to Atin Kumar Pathak under the Inspire fellowship scheme by the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology (Government of India), New Delhi, is gratefully acknowledged.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.