Recent advances in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) for wastewater treatment, bioenergy and bioproducts

Bioenergy is a renewable energy that plays an indispensable role in meeting today's ever increasing energy needs. Unlike biofuels, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) convert energy harvested from redox reactions directly into bioelectricity. MFCs can utilize low‐grade organic carbons (fuels) in waste...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of chemical technology and biotechnology (1986) 2013-04, Vol.88 (4), p.508-518
Main Authors: Zhou, Minghua, Wang, Hongyu, Hassett, Daniel J., Gu, Tingyue
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Biochemical fuel cells
bioenergy
biofilm
Biofilms
Catalysis
Catalytic reactions
Chemical engineering
Chemistry
Electrolysis
Electrolytic cells
electron transfer
Energy
Energy. Thermal use of fuels
Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc
Exact sciences and technology
Fuel cells
Fuels
General and physical chemistry
General purification processes
microbial electrolysis cell
microbial fuel cells
Microorganisms
Pollution
Reactors
Renewable energy
Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry
Wastewater treatment
Wastewaters
Water treatment and pollution
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Summary:Bioenergy is a renewable energy that plays an indispensable role in meeting today's ever increasing energy needs. Unlike biofuels, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) convert energy harvested from redox reactions directly into bioelectricity. MFCs can utilize low‐grade organic carbons (fuels) in waste streams. The oxidation of the fuel molecules requires biofilm catalysis. In recent years, MFCs have also been used in the electrolysis mode to produce bioproducts in laboratory tests. MFCs research has intensified in the past decade and the maximum MFCs power density output has been increased greatly and many types of waste streams have been tested. However, new breakthroughs are needed for MFCs to be practical in wastewater treatment and power generation beyond powering small sensor devices. To reduce capital and operational costs, simple and robust membrane‐less MFCs reactors are desired, but these reactors require highly efficient biofilms. Newly discovered conductive cell aggregates, improved electron transport through hyperpilation via mutation or genetic recombination and other advances in biofilm engineering present opportunities. This review is an update on the recent advances on MFCs designs and operations. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
ISSN:0268-2575
1097-4660
DOI:10.1002/jctb.4004