Babak Mikaeeli Kangarshahi, Seyed Morteza Naghib

Discover Applied Sciences • 2024

Abstract Electrochemical biosensors fabricated based on nucleic acids have shown great potential for cancer recognition because of their low cost, fast feedback, high sensitivity, and easy operation. This review will demonstrate the impression of recent advances and applications of electrochemical biosensors that are nucleic acid-based for cancer detection. We compare electrochemical biosensors formulated on nucleic acids with those formed on antibodies and highlight some examples of electrochemical biosensors developed on nucleic acids for cancer detection, such as biosensors that use DNA or RNA aptamers to detect prostate-specific antigens, microRNA-21, or carcinoembryonic antigens. We discuss the rewards and drawbacks of these biosensors and the challenges they face, such as stability, reproducibility, interference, and standardization. We also suggest some possible directions and opportunities for future research and development, such as developing novel nucleic acid recognition elements, exploring new transducer materials and configurations, designing new signal amplification strategies, integrating electrochemical biosensors with microfluidic devices or portable instruments, and evaluating electrochemical biosensors in clinical settings with actual samples from cancer patients or healthy donors. Overall, we believe that electrochemical biosensors that are nucleic acid-based offer an auspicious alternative to conventional methods for cancer detection and have great potential to contribute to early diagnosis and effective cancer treatment. Graphical Abstract

Hengjing Yan, Chelsea Catania, Guillermo C. Bazan

Advanced Materials • 2015

Conjugated oligoelectrolytes (COEs), molecules that are defined by a π‐delocalized backbone and terminal ionic pendant groups, have been previously demonstrated to effectively reduce charge‐injection/extraction barriers at metal/organic interfaces in thin‐film organic‐electronic devices. Recent studies demonstrate a spontaneous affinity of certain COEs to intercalate into, and align within, lipid bilayers in an ordered orientation, thereby allowing modification of membrane properties and the functions of microbes in bioelectrochemical and photosynthetic systems. Several reports have provided evidence of enhanced current generation and bioproduction. Mechanistic approaches suggest that COEs influence microbial extracellular electron transport to abiotic electrode surfaces via more than one proposed pathway, including direct electron transfer and meditated electron transfer. Molecular dynamics simulations as a function of molecular structure suggest that insertion of cationic COEs results in membrane thinning as the lipid phosphate head groups are drawn toward the center of the bilayer. Since variations in molecular structures, especially the length of the conjugated backbone, distribution of ionic groups, and hydrophobic substitutions, show an effect on their antimicrobial properties, preferential cell localization, and microbial selection, it is promising to further design novel membrane‐intercalating molecules based on COEs for practical applications, including energy generation, environmental remediation, and antimicrobial treatment.

Wei Wang, T. Zhong, Xiaoxue Wang et al.

IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science • 2019

Through collecting, sorting and analyzing the domestic and foreign references of self-healing concrete research, this paper has summarized the experimental research methods and results of different types of self-healing concrete in recent years, and expounded the mechanism of its action. Self-healing concrete types include self-healing concrete based on concrete itself, self-healing concrete based on permeable crystal repair technology, self-healing concrete based on shape memory alloy, self-healing concrete based on bionic self-repair and self-healing concrete based on microbial. Finally, the existing problems of self-healing concrete are put forward, and the shortcomings of self-healing concrete need to be further strengthened.

M. Rehan, I. Al-Bahadly, D. Thomas et al.

The International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery • 2020

Human gut microbiota can provide lifelong health information and even influence mood and behaviour. We currently lack the tools to obtain a microbial sample, directly from the small intestine, without contamination.

Junyao Wang, Yansong Chen, Jing Wang et al.

Smart Materials and Structures • 2024

Abstract As a part of biomimetic gelatinous polymer actuator (BGPA), hydrogel artificial muscle has the advantages of extreme flexibility, low driving voltage and controllable driving direction. However, such artificial muscles do not have self-healing properties and it is difficult to continue using them if they break, which considerably reduces their lifespan. In this paper, we propose a hydrogel artificial muscle with self-healing capability by gluing a membrane of electrodes with a pleated structure to a self-healing actuator layer. The crosslinking reaction between polyacrylic acid molecular chains and carboxylated chitosan (CLC) molecular chains was utilized to fabricat e self-healing actuator layers, while multi-walled carbon nanotubes and chitosan were employed for electrode films. The impact of CLC doping content on the self-healing properties, mechanical properties, electrical response output force properties, and electrochemical properties of self-healing artificial muscles was investigated. Experimental results demonstrated that the output force density of the self-healing artificial muscle could reach 14.7 mN g −1 with an addition of 0.2 g CLC; even after fracture-self-healing, the maximum output force density of the artificial muscle still remained above 90%, and the maximum stretching stress of the actuator film maintained a range from 91% to 99%, showcasing exceptional self-healing performance.

F. S. Fadzli, S. Bhawani, Rania Edrees Adam Mohammad

Journal of Chemistry • 2021

A new bioelectrochemical approach based on metabolic activities inoculated bacteria, and the microbial fuel cell (MFC) acts as biocatalysts for the natural conversion to energy of organic substrates. Among several factors, the organic substrate is the most critical challenge in MFC, which requires long-term stability. The utilization of unstable organic substrate directly affects the MFC performance, such as low energy generation. Similarly, the interaction and effect of the electrode with organic substrate are well discussed. The electrode-bacterial interaction is also another aspect after organic substrate in order to ensure the MFC performance. The conclusion is based on this literature view; the electrode content is also a significant challenge for MFCs with organic substrates in realistic applications. The current review discusses several commercial aspects of MFCs and their potential prospects. A durable organic substrate with an efficient electron transfer medium (anode electrode) is the modern necessity for this approach.

M. Llorente, S. Tejedor-Sanz, Antonio Berná et al.

Microbial Biotechnology • 2024

Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) constitutes a bioelectrochemical process where bacteria uptake electrons extracellularly from a polarized electrode to incorporate them into their anabolic metabolism. However, the efficiency of current MES reactor designs can be lower than expected due to limitations regarding electron transfer and mass transport. One of the most promising bioreactor configurations to overcome these bottlenecks is the Microbial Electrochemical Fluidized Bed Reactor (ME‐FBR). In this study, microbial CO2 fixation is investigated for the first time in a ME‐FBR operated as a 3‐phase reactor (solid–liquid–gas). An electroconductive carbon bed, acting as a working electrode, was fluidized with gas and polarized at different potentials (−0.6, −0.8 and −1 V vs. Ag/AgCl) so it could act as an electron donor (biocathode). Under these potentials, CO2 fixation and electron transfer were evaluated. Autotrophic electroactive microorganisms from anaerobic wastewater were enriched in a ME‐FBR in the presence of 2‐bromoethanosulfonic acid (BES) to inhibit the growth of methanogens. Cyclic voltammetry analysis revealed interaction between the microorganisms and the cathode. Furthermore, volatile fatty acids like propionate, formate and acetate were detected in the culture supernatant. Acetate production had a maximum rate of ca. 1 g L−1 day−1. Planktonic cell biomass was produced under continuous culture at values as high as ca. 0.7 g L−1 dry weight. Overall, this study demonstrates the feasibility of employing a fluidized electrode with gaseous substrates and electricity as the energy source for generating biomass and carboxylic acids.

Zechong Guo, Lufeng Zhang, Min-hua Cui et al.

Water • 2022

Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) have been acknowledged to be an efficient technology for refractory pollution treatment. An electron donor is as an indispensable element of BES, and domestic wastewater (DW) has been proved as a cost-efficient and accessible alternative option to expensive carbon sources (such as acetate and glucose), yet its effect on microbial community evolution has not been thoroughly revealed. In this study, the electrode microbial communities from BESs treating azo dye wastewater fed by DW (RDW), acetate (RAc), and glucose (RGlu) were systematically revealed based on 16S rRNA Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform. It was found that there were significant differences between three groups in microbial community structures. Desulfovibrio, Acinetobacter, and Klebsiella were identified as the predominant bacterial genera in RDW, RAc, and RGlu, respectively. Methanosaeta, the most enriched methanogen in all reactors, had a relative lower abundance in RDW. Microbial communities in RAc and RGlu were sensitive to electrode polarity while RDW was sensitive to electrode position. Compared with pure substrates, DW increased the diversity of microbial community and, thus, may enhance the stability of electrode biofilm. This study provides an insight into the microbial response mechanism to the electron donors and provides engineering implications for the development of BES.

X. Qian, Zhenjiang Zhao, Jian‐He Xu et al.

Chemical Biotechnology and Bioengineering • 2015

In this chapter, the history of biotechnology from original fermentation to genetic engineering is introduced concisely. New expressions from chemical biology to chemically promoted biotechnology and bioengineering are introduced. The focus is on the applications of chemistry to biotechnology, which is directly simplified as “chemical biotechnology”. Some examples of chemically promoted biotechnologies are taken to illustrate this concept, such as: modulators in enzymatic reactions; small molecules and carbon materials in the regulation of non-canonical DNA structures; chemically promoted biomimetic cofactors in in vitro biosystems for the production of high-value chemicals and low-value biocommodities; some chemicals used in microbial electrochemical systems (MES) to improve the performance/efficiency of extracellular electron transfer between the bacteria and the electrode; elicitors in plant cell culture; and plant activators in crop protection.

Asim Ali Yaqoob, Mohamad Nasir Mohamad Ibrahim, Khalid Umar

Energy Storage Battery Systems - Fundamentals and Applications • 2021

The energy generation without causing environmental pollution is a unique idea to make a better survival for human beings. In this regard, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been considered to be eco-friendly and efficient technology to produce renewable energy. The operations and functioning of MFCs technology were affected by many factors but the electrodes are the most essential and significant aspects in MFCs. Moreover, a wide variety of electrodes and MFCs configurations have been developed to enhance the electrochemical performance of MFCs. The carbon materials (graphite, graphene etc.) were commonly used for the electrode fabrication, due to some unique properties such as high conductivity, good thermal stability, high surface area, good mechanical power etc. In this chapter, different electrode materials, used for anode fabrication were summarized to reveal the performance/efficiency toward the generation of electricity. Finally, the electrochemical characterizations tool, current challenges, and future perspectives of the electrode in MFCs were discussed briefly.

Yingxin Ji, Keyi Wang, Gang Zhao

Polymers • 2023

In this study, a biomimetic artificial muscle electroactive actuator was fabricated using environmentally friendly sodium alginate extract. Ultrasonic agitation was employed to embed ultrafine copper powder within a mesh-like structure formed by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), aimed at reducing the internal resistance of the composite electrode membrane and enhancing its output force performance. Focused gallium ion beam-scanning electron microscopy observations, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis, and surface morphology imaging confirmed the successful incorporation of the ultrafine copper powder into the MWCNT network. Additionally, we designed and constructed an output force measurement apparatus to assess the output performance of biomimetic artificial muscles (BMAMs) doped with varying quantities of ultrafine copper powder. Electrochemical testing results demonstrated that the artificial muscles exhibited optimal performance when doped with a mass of 1.5 g, yielding a maximum output force of 6.96 mN, an output force density of 30.64 mN/g, and a peak average rate of 0.059 mN/s. These values represented improvements of 224%, 189%, and 222% compared to the electrode membrane without the addition of ultrafine copper powder, respectively.

Nicole Elizabeth Yuede, Hafsa J Khan, Frank N Vukaj et al.

ECS Meeting Abstracts • 2018

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have gained attention as a source of renewable energy because of their ability to directly convert chemical potential into electrical potential. While the fundamental mechanisms of MFCs have been explored, there are still gaps in understanding the correlation of biofilm formation to voltage and current response using polymeric electrode materials. This work investigated the relationship between microbial-surface adhesion and the kinetics of electron transfer. Utilizing the biofilm-surface interfacial properties studied via atomic force microscopy (AFM), nanocomposite materials were synthesized to increase the electrical output in the MFC. Additionally, open circuit potential (OCP) of the anode compartment was measured to determine an optimal system of electron generation which was then implemented in a dual chambered MFC reactor. The cellulose based-electrodes impacted Escherichia coli (E. coli ) adsorption while increasing conductivity when compared to standard carbon cloth materials. Initial results have indicated that electrodes functionalized with an additional fuel source increased the rate of adsorption, impacting the overall electron generation. Future work aims to synthesize a regenerative composite electrode material for increased voltage response and MFC efficiency.

Patrick O. Saboe, Emelia Conte, Megan Farell et al.

Energy & Environmental Science • 2017

Our review focuses on biomimetic and bioinspired ideas to improve enzyme-driven bioelectrochemical systems for applications in energy, biomedical and environmental fields.

Stefanie Brunner, T. Klessing, Andreas Dötsch et al.

Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology • 2019

The aim of this study was the development of a specifically adapted microbial community for the removal of organic carbon from an industrial wastewater using a bioelectrochemical system. In a first step, ferric iron reducing microorganisms were isolated from the examined industrial wastewater. In a second step, it was tested to what extent these isolates or a cocultivation of the isolates with the exoelectrogenic model organism Geobacter sulfurreducens (G. sulfurreducens) were able to eliminate organic carbon from the wastewater. To establish a stable biofilm on the anode and to analyze the performance of the system, the experiments were conducted first under batch-mode conditions for 21 days. Since the removal of organic carbon was relatively low in the batch system, a similar experiment was conducted under continuous-mode conditions for 65 days, including a slow transition from synthetic medium to industrial wastewater as carbon and electron source and variations in the flow rate of the medium. The overall performance of the system was strongly increased in the continuous- compared to the batch-mode reactor and the highest average current density (1,368 mA/m2) and Coulombic efficiency (54.9%) was measured in the continuous-mode reactor inoculated with the coculture consisting of the new isolates and G. sulfurreducens. The equivalently inoculated batch-mode system produced only 82-fold lower current densities, which were accompanied by 42-fold lower Coulombic efficiencies.

Chi‐Wen Lin, Sheng-Tien Chang, Chiaying Chen et al.

SSRN Electronic Journal • 2022

A diffusive packed anode-bioelectrochemical (Dpa-Bes) system was constructed by feeding waste gas from the cathode to the anode tank in DPa-Bes through a proton exchange membrane (PEM). The high removal of oxygen by the PEM and the effective combination of the two packing materials reduced the electron loss and enhanced the proton transfer capacity, promoting the removal of acetone from the exhaust gas and increasing the output power. The maximum acetone removal efficiency of the modified Dpa-Bes reached ∼99 % after seven days of closed-circuit operation, with a 3.2-fold increase in maximum power density and a 2.27-fold increase in closed-circuit voltage relative to those of the unmodified Dpa-Bes. When the acetone concentration was 2400 ppm, the removal efficiency was 73.22 % and the elimination capacity was at its highest value of 290.21 g/m3/h. Microbial analysis revealed that the conductive filter contained abundant facultative and anaerobic bacteria, whereas the non-conductive filter was rich in aerobic bacteria. The abundance of anaerobic and facultative microorganisms in Dpa-Bes was much higher than in the unmodified Dpa-Bes, and the dominant bacteria were Flavobacterium and Ferruginibacter.

Fangyuan Dong, Olja Simoska, Erin Gaffney et al.

Electrochemical Science Advances • 2022

Abstract Although the past 20 years have seen significant advances in tailoring materials for improving the performance of bioelectrochemical systems, recently, there have been efforts in utilizing the synthetic biology toolkit for engineering organisms for bioelectrochemical systems. This review discusses the use of synthetic biology to engineer non‐native properties into bioelectrochemical systems for increasing the diversity of fuel utilization in energy applications, allowing for novel electrosynthetic strategies, and improving the selectivity of biosensors. The review also discusses synthetic biology strategies for improving the abiotic/biotic interface, which improves the performance of bioelectrochemical systems. Both strategies are required and need to be combined with materials innovation to produce commercially viable bioelectrochemical systems in the future.

Erko Stackebrandt, Manuela Schüngel, Dunja Martin et al.

Microorganisms • 2015

Microbial resources have been recognized as essential raw materials for the advancement of health and later for biotechnology, agriculture, food technology and for research in the life sciences, as their enormous abundance and diversity offer an unparalleled source of unexplored solutions. Microbial domain biological resource centres (mBRC) provide live cultures and associated data to foster and support the development of basic and applied science in countries worldwide and especially in Europe, where the density of highly advanced mBRCs is high. The not-for-profit and distributed project MIRRI (Microbial Resource Research Infrastructure) aims to coordinate access to hitherto individually managed resources by developing a pan-European platform which takes the interoperability and accessibility of resources and data to a higher level. Providing a wealth of additional information and linking to datasets such as literature, environmental data, sequences and chemistry will enable researchers to select organisms suitable for their research and enable innovative solutions to be developed. The current independent policies and managed processes will be adapted by partner mBRCs to harmonize holdings, services, training, and accession policy and to share expertise. The infrastructure will improve access to enhanced quality microorganisms in an appropriate legal framework and to resource-associated data in a more interoperable way.

Abdelrhman Mohamed, Hannah M. Zmuda, Erik R. Coats et al.

ECS Meeting Abstracts • 2018

The ability of microbial communities to exchange electrons with inert electrodes has fueled decades of scientific curiosity and laboratory investigations. Numerous studies have focused on developing applications of bioelectrochemical systems for energy generation, chemical synthesis, and sensor design. In particular, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been proposed as a promising technology for energy recovery from organic sources, including domestic and industrial wastewater. Many studies demonstrated the utility of microbial fuel cells in the treatment of wastewater in various reactor sizes from milliliter to cubic meter scale. In order to develop MFCs to be a viable technology for commercial applications, researchers aimed to optimize MFC operation, including optimizing MFC design, electrode materials and geometry, microbial community enrichment, startup and power harvesting strategies. Most studies have reported startup strategies that includes connecting MFCs to a load, including resistors, capacitors, and power management systems. In this study, we demonstrate an active MFC startup strategy by controlling the potential of both the anode and cathode during the initial microbial community enrichment. The anode and cathode potentials are controlled using a custom dual potentiostat relative to a common Ag/AgCl reference electrode, with a common auxiliary electrode as a current sink/source. Active MFC startup strategy is demonstrated in a large scale reactor (1200 liter) treating domestic wastewater. Sixteen MFCs (16 anodes and 16 cathodes) are enriched, each using an independent dual potentiostat. Each anode and cathode is a 30 cm x 30 cm carbon fabric electrode, and the counter electrode is a 30 cm x 30 cm x 1 cm graphite felt electrode. Dual potentiostats are connected to a computer using a data acquisition system to record anodic and cathodic current during enrichment. After reaching steady state current, each MFC is connected to a power management system that stores the harvested energy in a supercapacitor. The supercapacitors are discharged intermittently to power small air pumps used to aerate the cathodes.

Hailing Tian, Yue Quan, Zhenhao Yin et al.

Polymers • 2023

With the increasing environmental pollution caused by waste polymers, the conversion of polymer components in biomass into valuable products is of great significance for waste management and resource recovery. A two-stage microbial fuel cell (MFC) was used to treat furfural wastewater in this study. The maximum output voltage was 240–250 mV and the power generation time in an operation cycle was 286 h. The degradation efficiency of furfural reached 99–100% (furfural concentration at 300–3000 mg/L) and was slightly reduced to 91% at 7000 mg/L. In addition, the BOD/COD ratio of the furfural wastewater increased from 0.31 to 0.48 after MFC processing. The molecular analysis of the anodic bacterial isolates indicated that the phylogenetic bacterial mixture was dominated by five active anaerobic bacteria with a similarity percentage above 99% for each strain: Burkholderia (B. burdella), Clostridium sensu stricto (Cymbidaceae), Klebsiella (Klebsiella), Ethanoligenens (anaerobic genus), and Acidocella (anaerobic genus); the mixture exhibited good properties to carry out bioelectricity generation in the microbial fuel cell. This indicates that the MFC has effectively degraded furfural for pollutant removal and power generation and is a promising clean method to treat furfural pollution in industry wastewater.

Mohammad Al-Rawi, Praneel Chand, Jai Khanna

Volume 9: Engineering Education • 2021

Abstract To generate student projects that effectively inform tasks on a main project (MP), and enable students to participate in the development of a solution to a problem that affects user satisfaction with renewable energy solutions. This research contains a reflection on the mapping of project’s requirements to learning outcomes of the engineering development project (EDP) paper. Alignment to the goals and learning outcomes of the course will be discussed as well as broader implications for service learning and the potential for the project to be adapted to meet broader institutional objectives such as sustainability will be presented. In conclusion, this paper describes the mapping of the graduate attributes and the learning outcomes in student projects to objectives of the MP, reflects on the achievement of these learning outcomes in the context of a project that fully explores all of them, and describes the service-learning potential for this type of student project.

Irene López-Cázares, O. Patrón-Soberano, J. García-Meza

Minerals • 2017

A bioelectrochemical study of charge transfer in the biofilm–chalcopyrite interface was performed to investigate the effect of surficial reduced sulfur species (RSS), in the form of non-stochiometric compounds or polysulfides (Sn2−) and elemental sulfur (S0) on a biofilm structure, during the earliest stages (1, 12 and 24 h) of chalcopyrite biooxidation by Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans alone and adding Leptospirillum sp. The surface of massive chalcopyrite electrodes was exposed to the bacteria, which were analyzed electrochemically, spectroscopically, and microscopically. At the studied earlier times, charge transfer and significant differences in the biofilm structure were detected, depending on the presence of Leptospirillum sp. acting on A. thiooxidans biofilms. Such differences were a consequence of a continuous chalcopyrite pitting and promoting changes in biofilm hydrophobicity. A. thiooxidans modifies the reactive properties of RSS and favors an acidic dissolution, which shifts into ferric dissolution when Leptospirillum sp. is present. A. thiooxidans allows H+ and Fe3+ diffusion, and Leptospirillum sp. enables to surpass the charge transfer (reactivity) barrier between the mineral interface and the ions. The observed changes of hydrophobicity on the interface are associated to ions and electrons activity and transfer. Finally, a model of S0 biooxidation by A. thiooxidans alone or with Leptospirillum sp. is proposed.

Rehab H. Mahmoud, O. Gomaa, Rabeay Y. A. Hassan

RSC Advances • 2022

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are recognized as a future technology with a unique ability to exploit metabolic activities of living microorganisms for simultaneous conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy. This technology holds the promise to offer sustained innovations and continuous development towards many different applications and value-added production that extends beyond electricity generation, such as water desalination, wastewater treatment, heavy metal removal, bio-hydrogen production, volatile fatty acid production and biosensors. Despite these advantages, MFCs still face technical challenges in terms of low power and current density, limiting their use to powering only small-scale devices. Description of some of these challenges and their proposed solutions is demanded if MFCs are applied on a large or commercial scale. On the other hand, the slow oxygen reduction process (ORR) in the cathodic compartment is a major roadblock in the commercialization of fuel cells for energy conversion. Thus, the scope of this review article addresses the main technical challenges of MFC operation and provides different practical approaches based on different attempts reported over the years.

A. A. Yaqoob, C. Guerrero-Barajas, M. Ibrahim et al.

Environmental Science and Pollution Research • 2022

The present work focused on the utilization of three local wastes, i.e., rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum), langsat (Lansium parasiticum), and mango (Mangifera indica) wastes, as organic substrates in a benthic microbial fuel cell (BMFC) to reduce the cadmium and lead concentrations from synthetic water. Out of the three wastes, the mango waste promoted a maximum current density (87.71 mA/m2) along with 78% and 80% removal efficiencies for Cd2+ and Pb2+, respectively. The bacterial identification proved that Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter, and Citrobacter were responsible for metal removal and energy generation. In the present work, the BMFC mechanism, current challenges, and future recommendations are also enclosed.

Elena Najdenko, Frank Lorenz, Klaus Dittert et al.

Precision Agriculture • 2024

Abstract There are currently many in-field methods for estimating soil properties (e.g., pH, texture, total C, total N) available in precision agriculture, but each have their own level of suitability and only a few can be used for direct determination of plant-available nutrients. As promising approaches for reliable in-field use, this review provides an overview of electromagnetic, conductivity-based, and electrochemical techniques for estimating plant-available soil nutrients and pH. Soil spectroscopy, conductivity, and ion-specific electrodes have received the most attention in proximal soil sensing as basic tools for precision agriculture during the last two decades. Spectral soil sensors provide indication of plant-available nutrients and pH, and electrochemical sensors provide highly accurate nitrate and pH measurements. This is currently the best way to accurately measure plant-available phosphorus and potassium, followed by spectral analysis. For economic and practicability reasons, the combination of multi-sensor in-field methods and soil data fusion has proven highly successful for assessing the status of plant-available nutrients in soil for precision agriculture. Simultaneous operation of sensors can cause problems for example because of mutual influences of different signals (electrical or mechanical). Data management systems provide relatively fast availability of information for evaluation of soil properties and their distribution in the field. For rapid and broad adoption of in-field soil analyses in farming practice, in addition to accuracy of fertilizer recommendations, certification as an official soil analysis method is indispensable. This would strongly increase acceptance of this innovative technology by farmers.

Mazhar Iqbal, S. Nauman, M. Ghafari et al.

Biointerface Research in Applied Chemistry • 2021

This paper analyses the latest techniques for treating wastewater to make it suitable for agricultural applications in regions where irrigation water is scarce. Micro-filtration (MF) techniques yield a significant reduction in Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), and Total Bacterial Count (TBC) of wastewater, which makes it suitable to be used for irrigational purposes. Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) technology is a viable solution for treating wastewater discharged from many industrial sectors, such as the food processing industry, for reclaiming water for agro-applications. Such industrial water may seal soil pores if directed untreated to agricultural fields. Concerning the treatment of microbial contamination of wastewater, the removal rate of pressurized membrane bio-booster (MBR) is significantly large for coliform and metals such as lead, copper, chromium, and arsenic. Both electrocoagulation and chemical coagulation are applied in the removal of oxidable chemicals from wastewater. However, the electrocoagulation process shows a higher efficiency in terms of removing COD. Contamination of agricultural fields with heavy metals is considered an adverse impact on the human and animal safety of discharging wastewater into agro-fields. Thus, removing such contaminants should be given the utmost priority in wastewater treatment, especially from industrial discharge, before they are directed to agricultural usage. Factors that govern the sustainability of a given method in a water-scarce region are also discussed.

Leonidas Matsakas, Nemailla Bonturi, E. A. Miranda et al.

Biotechnology for Biofuels • 2015

BackgroundEnvironmental crisis and concerns for energy security have made the research for renewable fuels that will substitute the usage of fossil fuels an important priority. Biodiesel is a potential substitute for petroleum, but its feasibility is hindered by the utilization of edible vegetable oil as raw material, which is responsible for a large fraction of the production cost and fosters the food versus fuel competition. Microbial oils are an interesting alternative as they do not compete with food production, and low cost renewable materials could serve as raw materials during cultivation of microorganisms. Sweet sorghum is an excellent candidate as substrate for microbial oil production, as it possesses high photosynthetic activity yielding high amounts of soluble and insoluble carbohydrates, and does not require high fertilization and irrigation rates.ResultsInitially the ability of sweet sorghum to fully support yeast growth, both as a carbon and nitrogen source was evaluated. It was found that addition of an external nitrogen source had a negative impact on single cell oil (SCO) production yields, which has a positive effect on the process economics. Subsequently the effect of the presence of a distinct saccharification step on SCO was examined. The presence of an enzymatic saccharification step prior to SCO production improved the production of SCO, especially in high solid concentrations. Removal of solids was also investigated and its positive effect on SCO production was also demonstrated. When juice from 20% w/w enzymatically liquefied sweet sorghum was used as the raw material, SCO production was 13.77 g/L. To the best of our knowledge this is one of the highest SCO titers reported in the literature when renewable raw materials were utilized.ConclusionsThe use of sweet sorghum at high solid concentrations as a feedstock for the efficient production of SCO by Rhodosporidium toruloides was demonstrated. Moreover, addition of enzymes not only led to liquefaction of sweet sorghum and permitted liquid fermentation, but also enhanced lipid production by 85.1% and 15.9% when dried stalks or stalk juice was used, respectively.

Trang Nakamoto, Dung Nakamoto, Kenji Tamenori et al.

E3S Web of Conferences • 2024

Soil moisture affects water and heat exchange between soil and air, weather and climate, and plant growth. Therefore, controlling and predicting soil moisture is vital for irrigation, nutrient supply, absorption, and crop productivity. Soil microbial fuel cell (SMFC) is a recent technology that generates electricity from soil microorganisms and chemicals. SMFC can be used to sense soil moisture and treat polluted soil. In this study, we designed a low-cost, portable, and easy-to-install SMFC for soil moisture sensing, and it was tested at four moisture levels: 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% soil water holding capacity (SWHC). The SMFC worked best at 60 - 80% SWHC, which is suitable moisture for many plants. The results suggest that the proposed SMFC can be a potential soil moisture sensor.

Toru Watanabe, T. Mashiko, R. Maftukhah et al.

Water Science and Technology • 2017

This study aims at improving the performance of the cultivating system of rice for animal feed with circulated irrigation of treated municipal wastewater by applying a larger amount of wastewater, as well as adding a microbial fuel cell (MFC) to the system. The results of bench-scale experiments indicate that this modification has increased the rice yield, achieving the target for the rice cultivar used in the experiment. In addition, an assessment of protein content of the harvested rice showed that the value of the rice as animal fodder has improved. Compared with normal one-way irrigation, circulated irrigation significantly enhanced the plant growth and rice production. The direction of the irrigation (bottom-to-top or top-to-bottom) in the soil layer had no significant effect. This modified system demonstrated >96% for nitrogen removal from the treated wastewater used for the irrigation, with approximately 40% of the nitrogen being used for rice plant growth. The MFC installed in the system facilitated power generation comparable with that reported for normal paddy fields. The power generation appeared to be enhanced by bottom-to-top irrigation, which could provide organic-rich treated wastewater directly to the bacterial community living on the anode of the MFC set in the soil layer.

Rojas-Flores Segundo, M. De La Cruz-Noriega, Cabanillas-Chirinos Luis et al.

Molecules • 2024

Industrialization has brought many environmental problems since its expansion, including heavy metal contamination in water used for agricultural irrigation. This research uses microbial fuel cell technology to generate bioelectricity and remove arsenic, copper, and iron, using contaminated agricultural water as a substrate and Bacillus marisflavi as a biocatalyst. The results obtained for electrical potential and current were 0.798 V and 3.519 mA, respectively, on the sixth day of operation and the pH value was 6.54 with an EC equal to 198.72 mS/cm, with a removal of 99.08, 56.08, and 91.39% of the concentrations of As, Cu, and Fe, respectively, obtained in 72 h. Likewise, total nitrogen concentrations, organic carbon, loss on ignition, dissolved organic carbon, and chemical oxygen demand were reduced by 69.047, 86.922, 85.378, 88.458, and 90.771%, respectively. At the same time, the PDMAX shown was 376.20 ± 15.478 mW/cm2, with a calculated internal resistance of 42.550 ± 12.353 Ω. This technique presents an essential advance in overcoming existing technical barriers because the engineered microbial fuel cells are accessible and scalable. It will generate important value by naturally reducing toxic metals and electrical energy, producing electric currents in a sustainable and affordable way.

Mahak Jain, Abhradeep Majumder, Pubali Mandal et al.

Detection and Treatment of Emerging Contaminants in Wastewater • 2024

Abstract Pharmaceutically active compounds (PhAC) are pervasive in aqueous environments, and their presence poses an ever-increasing threat to aquatic creatures and all associated living forms. Most PhACs are extremely hydrophilic and have a complicated molecular structure, preventing them from being destroyed by traditional wastewater treatment methods. In addition, these contaminants are present at such a low concentration that their detection poses a significant challenge. Researchers have utilized advanced oxidation processes to degrade these chemicals over time. However, most studies have been conducted on the lab scale and do not function well for real wastewater since many interfering substances are present. In addition, these techniques are expensive and result in the production of harmful byproducts. To combat the PhACs, it is vital to develop a sustainable economic strategy. This book chapter discusses the occurrence of PhACs in wastewater, their potential environmental impacts, and the necessary procedures for accurately quantifying these compounds. The book addresses the possibilities of biological systems, such as constructed wetlands (CW) and bioelectrochemical systems (BES), in the hunt for a sustainable method of eliminating PhACs. CWs have been selected because they are robust systems with several simultaneous removal mechanisms. BES have also demonstrated considerable potential for treating these substances in wastewater and producing bioelectricity. In addition, the chapter discusses an emerging technology, that is, hybrid CW–BES systems, which utilize the benefits of both CW and BES and may prove to be an efficient approach to treating wastewater, removing PhACs, and generating electricity simultaneously.

, Christianus Y. N. Bhae, Umbu N. Limbu et al.

International Journal of Life Science and Agriculture Research • 2024

Livestock waste consists of two types of waste, namely liquid and solid. Solid waste consists of animal manure and leftover animal feed, while liquid waste consists of livestock sanitation wastewater, animal urine, and barn wash water. One example of a renewable energy source that has not yet been fully utilized is organic materials, one of which is cow dung. Cow manure can be used as a basic material in the production of biogas through an anaerobic fermentation process to generate energy. The aim of this research is to use cow dung as organic waste as an alternative energy source for biogas and simultaneously reduce the environmental pollution impact of livestock waste. The research methods used were observation and experimentation to determine how to produce biogas from cow dung waste. The research results indicate that there is a high possibility that cow dung can be used as an organic raw material to produce biogas. Methane gas can be produced during the production process starting from the 16th day after fermentation and continuing until the 25th day. A longer fermentation process results in a larger gas volume, as indicated by the daily increase in digester volume.

Nabil Fariz Noorrahman, Ardi Sandriya, Paulini Paulini

Jurnal Sain Peternakan Indonesia • 2024

As the global population continues to grow, there is a corresponding increase in energy consumption annually. The need for alternative energy sources is evident in light of the finite reserves of oil. Briquettes are a renewable energy option that can help decrease reliance on oil. Briquettes can be produced through the utilization of organic waste materials. This research was carried out from 19 September to 18 October 2023, at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Palangka Raya, and the Analytical Laboratory, Muhammadiyah University, Palangka Raya. The aim of this research is to determine the quality of briquettes made using cow dung charcoal and cooking oil as an adhesive. The parameters of this research are water content, ash content, burn rate, and colorific value. This research used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) model with 4 treatments and each treatment was repeated 5 times so that there were 20 experimental units. The composition of the briquettes consists of (P1) = 90% cow dung and 10% used cooking oil, (P2): 87.5% cow dung and 12.5% ​​used cooking oil, (P3): 85% cow dung and 15% used cooking oil and (P4): 82.5% cow dung and 17.5% ​​used cooking oil. The results of variance analysis showed that the parameters of water content, ash content, burn rate, and colorific value did not show a significant influence between treatments (P>0.05) although there was a trend that P1 and P3 were better than the other treatments. It was concluded that the best quality of briquettes in terms of water content and ash content was in the P1 treatment (Briquettes with a composition of 90% cow dung and 10% used cooking oil), whereas if viewed from the burning rate and calorific value of the best briquettes, it was the P3 treatment (Briquettes with a composition of 85 % cow dung and 15% used cooking oil).

Tanvir Ahmed, Bashir Ahmad

The Pakistan Development Review • 2014

This paper identified the factors influencing the rice crop residue burning decision of the farmers and the potential of the burnt residue to generate electricity. For this study, data were collected from 400 farmers in the rice-wheat cropping system. Effects of different variables on the burning decision of rice residue are investigated through logit model. A number of factors had significant effects on the burning decision of crop residue. These included farming experience of the farmer, Rajput caste, farm size, owner operated farm, owner-cum-tenants operated farm, silty loam soil type, livestock strength, total cost associated with the handling of residue and preparation of wheat field after rice, availability of farm machinery for incorporation, use of residue as feed for animals, use of residue as fuel, intention of the respondent to reduce turnaround time between harvesting of rice and sowing of wheat, convenience in use of farm machinery after burning of residue and the geographic location of farm. The overall quantity of rice straw burnt is estimated to be 1704.91 thousand tonnes in the rice-wheat cropping areas with a potential to generate electric power of 162.51 MW. This power generation from crop residues would be a source of income for the farmers along with generation of additional employment opportunities and economic activities on sustainable basis. In order to minimise the cost of haulage of rice straw, installation of decentralised power plants at village level would be a good option. Further, use of rice crop residue as an energy source can help in reducing foreign exchange requirements for import of furnace oil. JEL Classification: O44, Q12, Q16, Q42, Q48 Keywords: Bioenergy, Crop Residue, Electricity, Energy, Growth, Rice

Arna Ganguly, Pingping Sun, Xinyu Liu et al.

Green Chemistry • 2025

Biowastes are produced daily. These wastes are rich in organic components with high potential to produce valuable products such as BioH 2 and CO 2 . This study explores wastes converted into low-cost BioH 2 through integrated processes.

Zhangwei He, Aijuan Zhou, Chunxue Yang et al.

RSC Advances • 2015

A novel and attractive technology for renewable bioenergy recovery from WAS and sludge reduction has been investigated.

Sureewan Sittijunda, Sulfan Baka, Rattana Jariyaboon et al.

Fermentation • 2022

This study aimed to enhance dark fermentative hydrogen production from co-digestion of distillery wastewater (DW) and glycerol waste (GW) through integration with microbial electrolysis cells. First, the optimal proportion of DW and GW in hydrogen production was investigated in batch mode. The results show that DW and GW co-digestion at a ratio of 99:1 (% v/v) gave the highest hydrogen yield of 149.5 mL-H2/g − VSadded. Continuous hydrogen production using the optimal proportion was conducted in a continuously stirred tank reactor. As a result, a maximal hydrogen yield of 99.7 mL-H2/g − VSadded was achieved, and the dominant hydrogen-producing bacterium was Clostridium sensu stricto 7. The dark fermentation effluent from the continuously stirred tank reactor was later used to produce methane using batch MECs. The maximum methane yield of 115.1 mL-CH4/g − VSadded was obtained under an applied voltage of 1 V and continuous stirring at 120–140 rpm. Microbial community analysis revealed that Metahnobacterium, Methanomethylovorans, Methanoculleus, and Methanosarcina were the methanogenic archaea in the microbial electrolysis cell reactor.

Qing Zhao, Heran Wang, Rufei Liu et al.

Energies • 2025

This study developed a system (MEC-AD) by integrating a single-chamber microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) with anaerobic digestion (AD), aiming to enhance the conversion efficiency of kitchen waste (KW) into biomethane and optimize metabolic pathways. The performance and microbial metabolic mechanisms of MEC-AD were investigated and compared with those of conventional AD, through inoculation with original inoculum (UAD) and electrically domesticated inoculum (EAD), respectively. The results show that the MEC-AD system achieved a CH4 yield of 223.12 mL/g VS, which was 31.27% and 25.24% higher than that of conventional UAD and EAD, respectively. The system also obtained total solid (TS) and volatile solid (VS) conversion rates of 82.32% and 83.39%, respectively. Furthermore, the MEC-AD system enhanced the degradation of soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) and mitigated biogas production stagnation by reducing the accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) as intermediate products. Microbial metagenomics analysis revealed that the MEC-AD system enhanced microbial diversity and enriched functional genera abundance, facilitating substrate degradation and syntrophic relationships. At the molecular level, the system upregulated the expression of key enzyme-encoding genes, thereby simultaneously strengthening both direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) and mediated interspecies electron transfer (MIET) pathways for methanogenesis. These findings demonstrate that MEC-AD significantly improves methane production through multi-pathway synergies, representing an innovative solution for efficient KW-to-biomethane conversion.

Yinghong Feng, Yiwen Liu, Yaobin Zhang

Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology • 2015

Cheap Fe/graphite electrodes substantially enhanced hydrogen production from anaerobic waste activated sludge digestion in a microbial electrolysis cell.

Gerasimos Kanellos, Michail Antarachas, Gerasimos Lyberatos et al.

Waste and Biomass Valorization • 2025

Abstract This study deals with the feasibility of Cheese Whey (CW) treatment using a Microbial Electrolysis Cell-Anaerobic Digestion (MEC-AD) system. For this purpose, two identical reactors were constructed, a control (AD) and a MEC-AD reactor. The MEC-AD operated for 310 d and the effects of (a) CW pretreatment, (b) Organic Loading Rate (from 1.4 to 3.3 g COD /(L d)) and (c) applied potential (1 and 2 V) were examined on the MEC-AD performance. The results showed that the AD reactor failed to treat CW in every case examined, whereas the MEC-AD successfully treated the CW. In particular, the optimal CW treatment was obtained with the pretreated CW, at the OLR of 2.1 g COD /(L d) and at the applied potential of 1 V and achieved a COD removal of 98% and a residual COD concentration of 1.2 g COD /L. The optimal CH 4 yield was obtained with the pretreated CW, at the OLR of 3.3 g COD /(L d) and at the applied potential of 1 V and was 0.75 L CH4 /g sCODconsumed , higher than any yield obtained utilizing AD systems. Overall, the results showed that the MEC-AD system is a very promising technology for treating CW with simultaneous CH 4 production, whereas the AD process fails. Graphical Abstract

Weiwei Cai, Wenzong Liu, Dan Cui et al.

RSC Advances • 2016

Anaerobic fermentation liquid from waste activated sludge with a rich content of organics and phosphate ions is a promising source of carbon and electrolytes for MECs.