S. Rojas-Flores

Green Energy and Environmental Technology • 2022

The great contamination caused by organic waste in the process of sale and production has generated great governmental problems; mainly due to the lack of an adequate system for collecting waste. This research reveals the great potential of organic waste, mainly fruit waste, as fuel for the generation of electrical energy through the use of microbial fuel cell technology, due to the high content of chemical substances for chemical oxidation-reduction reactions. This research reveals the reason and the fundamental role for microorganisms in the process of generating electricity; as well as the advances revealed by researchers on the use of certain waste as fuel.

Elif DURNA PİŞKİN

Sigma Journal of Engineering and Natural Sciences – Sigma Mühendislik ve Fen Bilimleri Dergisi • 2024

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) have attracted great interest in recent years as a technology that uses microorganisms to oxidize organic and inorganic materials at the anode for the purpose of bioelectricity generation and bioremediation. In MFC systems, energy can be obtained by using all kinds of organic matter as substrate, from simple molecules (acetate, carbohydrates, glucose etc.) to complex compounds (molasses, cellulose, wastewater, waste sludge, domestic agricultural and animal wastes etc.). In addition to wastewater treatment, MFC technology has additional benefits such as sulfate removal, heavy metal removal, denitrification and nitrification. However, the low power efficiencies and potential losses of these systems limit their applicability on a real scale. Although the anode chamber of MFC systems has been studied in detail over many different parameters, the cathodic electron acceptors have been studied relatively less. In MFC systems, electron acceptors are one of the main parameters influencing power generation as they contribute to overcoming potential losses at the cathode. Oxygen has a relatively high redox potential and is the traditional electron acceptor used in MFC systems as it is reduced to form a clean product like water. However, the need for alternative electron acceptors has increased due to the fact that feeding oxygen to the cathode chamber requires additional energy and the need for catalysts due to the slow O 2 reduction rate. Electricity generation by reducing certain electron acceptors at the cathode chamber has promising potential for bioenergy production, and the use of pollutants such as nitrogen species, heavy metals and perchlorate as electron acceptors reduces the cost for their specific treatment. This review aims to summarize the various electron acceptors used in MFC systems, compare their effects on MFC performance, and discuss possible future areas.

Barbara Mecheri

Encyclopedia of Electrochemistry • 2021

Abstract Promoting the transition toward a circular economy and sustainable development through scientific and technological innovation is the only viable strategy for leading to energy‐saving solutions, waste valorization, and efficient integration of renewable resources. Thanks to its dual function of harvesting energy from waste and cleaning up waste from organic pollutants, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) can be considered as a revolutionary tool for addressing the global environmental challenges. Here, several aspects of MFC technology are considered: basic principles and operational conditions, the role of materials efficiency for enhancing MFC performance, bacterial extracellular electron transfer mechanisms, the effect of different substrates used, and perspectives for technology scaling up. Special emphasis will be given to the development of low‐cost and effective catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction at the cathode side, as a key aspect for reducing the high cost of current electrode materials which limits the implementation of larger‐scale MFC systems. The application of MFCs in environmental monitoring and bioremediation is also reviewed, highlighting still existing limitations and potential future research for promoting the combination of MFCs with well‐established technologies.

Apriansa Apriansa, Irdawati Irdawati

Jurnal Biologi Tropis • 2025

Significant economic and population growth around the world has led to various problems, especially fossil fuel scarcity, energy production, as well as an increase in the volume of organic waste (agricultural, municipal, and industrial waste). As an alternative energy source, Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) was chosen due to its promising prospects. The use of thermophilic bacteria and consortiums were chosen for their potential advantages in MFC systems. This study aims to explore the potential of thermophilic bioelectrogenous bacterial isolates of Sungai Sapan Aro (SSA) consortium 14&16 in producing bioenergy using various agricultural waste substrates (corn cob, rice straw, rice husk, and glucose as control). The results showed no significant difference in the use of agricultural waste substrates in the MFC system. Quantitatively, corn cobs produced voltages almost equivalent to glucose (control), while rice straw and rice husk produced lower voltages. The resulting voltages were glucose (0.59467 V), corn cob (0.57633 V), rice straw (0.43300 V), and rice husk (0.40400 V). The results of this study show better performance compared to previous studies in the field of electricity generation through MFCs.

G. Pîrcălăbioru, M. Chifiriuc

Future Microbiology • 2020

Biofilms are highly tolerant to antimicrobial agents and adverse environmental conditions being important reservoirs for chronic and hard-to-treat infections. Nanomaterials exhibit microbiostatic/microbicidal/antipathogenic properties and can be also used for the delivery of antibiofilm agents. However, few of the many promising leads offered by nanotechnology reach clinical studies and eventually, become available to clinicians. The aim of this paper was to review the progress and challenges in the development of nanotechnology-based antibiofilm drug-delivery systems. The main identified challenges are: most papers report only in vitro studies of the activity of different nanoformulations; lack of standardization in the methodological approaches; insufficient collaboration between material science specialists and clinicians; paucity of in vivo studies to test efficiency and safety.

Abhijeet P. Borole

ECS Meeting Abstracts • 2016

Production of renewable electricity and hydrogen in biorefinery can add a significant value towards development of a sustainable bioeconomy for the 21 st century. Here, we investigate bioelectrochemical systems for conversion of biomass and waste using biological fuel cells and electrolysis cells. The ability to extract electrons from biomass components efficiently can lead to novel pathways for production of energy, fuels and chemicals. Understanding the electron transfer and charge transfer issues is critical in developing functional bioelectrochemical cells. Current production from two biomass-derived streams was investigated determining Coulombic efficiency, cathode efficiency and electrical efficiency. The effect of substrate concentration and loading on performance was studied to understand kinetic vs. mass transfer issues. In addition to the electrochemical aspects, bioconversion aspects become critically important for valorizing complex streams such as bio-derived liquids. In addition to sugars, transformation of furanic and phenolic compounds derived from lignin and hemicellulose is important, since they are rich source of electrons. Removal of furfural, HMF, phenolic acids and acetic acid was demonstrated and conversion efficiencies were calculated. Improvements in current density and coulombic efficiency of the bioanode were studied by varying multiple operational parameters. The electron transfer process was measured against the proton and charge transfer steps to identify mechanistic factors controlling the conversion of the complex substrates to electricity and hydrogen.

Deqiang Chen, Muhammad Ibrahim, Ran Tian et al.

Research Square • 2022

Abstract Bioelectrochemical systems can recover energy while treating wastewater as an attractive form of bioengineering technology. This research devised a novel upgraded system that can remove a high proportion of nitrogen (N) from wastewater and produce biogas. We investigated the scale-up effect of mixing ammonia-nitrogen (NH 3 -N) and nitrate-nitrogen (NO 3 -N) under anoxic conditions, and we also assessed the mediation-impact of Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris) and carbon-based biocatalyst (biochar). The experiment was carried out using three independent batches, and each lasted for 35 d. The results showed that the unique enhanced system could simultaneously remove more than 90% of NH 3 and NO 3 from wastewater and generate a significant amount of N 2 O, CH 4, and CO 2 . In addition, dominant bacteria genera such as Sporosarcina, Tissieralla , and Pseudomonas have played a robust role in N removal and biogas generation. Compared to past studies, the unique enhanced system significantly improved the N removal efficiency of the bioelectrochemical systems.

M. Isabel San-Martín, Francisco Javier Carmona, Pedro Prádanos et al.

Preprints.org • 2019

Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) encompass a group of biobased technologies capable of directly converting organic matter into electricity. In these systems, which are derived from conventional electrochemical systems, the ion exchange membrane represents a key element because of its influence on the economic feasibility and on the performance of BES. This study examines the impact of long-term operation of a BES on the mechanical, chemical and electrochemical properties of five different kind of cation exchange membranes (Nafion-117, CMI-7001, Zirfon UTP 500, FKE and FKB) through several techniques: (i) scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to assess the changes on the membranes surface, (ii) thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to evaluate the structural stability of the membranes, and (iii) ion exchange capacity (IEC) to monitor any change in their electrochemical properties. Results confirmed that there is not an ideal membrane for BES. While Nafion and CMI-7000 exhibited the strongest chemical structure, they also underwent the highest fouling as revealed by a fast increase in surface roughness.

Max Hackbarth, Johannes Gescher, Harald Horn et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) • 2022

Abstract This study discusses the construction and operation of a membrane-less bioelectrochemical reactor that employs rotating working electrodes with a surface area of up to 1 m 2 . As a proof-of-principle for an aerobic microbial electrosynthesis process, Kyrpidia spormannii was cultivated in the reactor. Optical coherence tomography was used to examine the spatial distribution of the cathodic biofilm. After 24 days 87% of the cathode surface was covered with biofilm that was characterized by a radial increase in its biovolume towards the circumcenter of the electrodes reaching up to 92.13 μm 3 μm -2 . To demonstrate the versatility of the system, we further operated the reactor as a microbial electrolysis cell employing a co-culture of Shewanella oneidensis and Geobacter sulfurreducens . Anodic current densities of up to 130 μA cm -2 were measured during these batch experiments. This resulted in a maximum production rate of 0.43 liters of pure hydrogen per liter reactor volume and day. Graphical Abstract Highlights Construction of a 10 L membrane-less, pressurizable bioelectrochemical reactor Rotating working electrodes with up to 1 m 2 electrode surface Electroautotrophic cultivation and quantification of K. spormannii biofilms Initial cell density crucial for successful K. spormannii biofilm formation Anodic operation as MEC with Shewanella / Geobacter coculture

Krisha Dhall, Krismaa Rajasuresh

Undergraduate Research in Natural and Clinical Science and Technology (URNCST) Journal • 2021

Introduction: The WHO has stated that about 50% of the world lacks access to secure and continuous supply of electricity, heavily impacting the healthcare industry in these countries. Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) can be a low cost-efficient energy source capable of powering medical devices in low-income countries. Due to the components and impurities found in saliva, this biofluid can behave like an electrolyte and a viable fuel source to power the MFC. With this capability, saliva has the potential to power micro-gadgets with microbial fuel cells capable of degrading the components of saliva. Thus, this study explores saliva’s potential to act as a fuel source to power microbial fuel cells within medical diagnosis devices. Methods: A systematic review was conducted through primary and secondary research articles exploring and comparing the use of saliva as an energy source compared to other biofluids. Key terms focused for meta-analyses include: ‘semiconductors’, ‘saliva’, ‘microbial fuel cells’, ‘point-of-care’. Results: Previous research has discovered that lysozyme enzymes present in saliva can create an electrical charge that can successively power biomedical devices. Researchers have also created paper-based batteries containing frozen exoelectrogenic cells, powered by the bacterial degradation of human spit. Saliva has been demonstrated to contain similar biomarkers to urine, a successful diagnostic biofluid, and can therefore be used as a diagnostic biofluid as well. Discussion: Given saliva’s capabilities, a hypothetical diagnostic device powered using saliva as the biofluid, was designed. Bacteria break down the saliva, allowing protons to travel from the anode to the cathode resulting in electricity. It was determined that graphite would be the most cost-efficient and energy producing electrode material for the device. In addition, this electricity that is produced will power the diagnostic device attached. Conclusion: Saliva can act as a fuel source, capable of powering diagnostic devices using microbial fuel cells with saliva. These properties can be beneficial to many people who do not have access to preliminary diagnosis. This can result in immediate treatment and help prevent further spread of diseases, vital for those in low-income countries. Broad scale applications of using saliva can be directed towards exterior lighting systems and powering larger medical devices.

Elena Emelyanova

Micromachines • 2023

Express assessment of the biochemical activity of microorganisms is important in both applied and fundamental research. A laboratory model of a microbial electrochemical sensor formed on the basis of the culture of interest is a device that provides rapidly information about the culture and is cost effective, simple to fabricate and easy to use. This paper describes the application of laboratory models of microbial sensors in which the Clark-type oxygen electrode was used as a transducer. The formation of the models of the reactor microbial sensor (RMS) and the membrane microbial sensor (MMS) and the formation of the response of biosensors are compared. RMS and MMS are based on intact or immobilized microbial cells, respectively. For MMS, the response of biosensor is caused both by the process of transport of substrate into microbial cells and by the process of the initial metabolism of substrate; and only initial substrate metabolism triggers the RMS response. The details of the application of biosensors for the study of allosteric enzymes and inhibition by substrate are discussed. For inducible enzymes, special attention is paid to the induction of microbial cells. This article addresses current problems related to implementation of the biosensor approach and discusses the ways how to overcome these problems.

V. Gupta, S. Zeilinger-Migsich, E. X. F. Filho et al.

• 2016

Microbial applications encompass areas including biotechnology, chemical engineering, and alternative fuel development. Research on their technological developments cover many aspects of work using microbes as cell factories. The fields of biotechnology, chemical engineering, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and medical device development also employ these microbial products. There is an urgent need to integrate all these disciplines that caters to the need of all those who are interested to work in the area of microbial technologies. This book is a step forward to integrate the aforesaid frontline branches into an interdisciplinary research work quenching the academic as well as research thirst of all those concerned about microbes in the respective area of biotechnology, chemical engineering, and pharmaceuticals. All the chapters in this book are related to important research on microbial applications, written by international specialists for researchers and academics in the concerned disciplines. This publication aims to provide a detailed compendium of experimental work and information used to investigate different aspects of microbial technologies, their products as well as interdisciplinary interactions including biochemistry of metabolites, in a manner that reflects the recent developments of relevance to researchers/scientists investigating microbes.

Vânia B. Oliveira

Energies • 2023

The Future of Energy is focused on the consolidation of new energy technologies. Among them, Fuel Cells (FCs) are on the Energy Agenda due to their potential to reduce the demand for fossil fuel and greenhouse gas emissions, their higher efficiency (as fuel cells do not use combustion, their efficiency is not linked to their maximum operating temperature) and simplicity and absence of moving parts. Additionally, low-power FCs have been identified as the target technology to replace conventional batteries in portable applications, which can have recreational, professional, and military purposes. More recently, low-power FCs have also been identified as an alternative to conventional batteries for medical devices and have been used in the medical field both in implantable devices and as micro-power sources. The most used power supply for implantable medical devices (IMD) is lithium batteries. However, despite its higher lifetime, this is far from enough to meet the patient’s needs since these batteries are replaced through surgeries. Based on the close synergetic connection between humans and microorganisms, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were targeted as the replacement technology for batteries in IMD since they can convert the chemical energy from molecules presented in a living organism into electrical energy. Therefore, MFCs offer the following advantages over lithium batteries: they do not need to be replaced, avoiding subjecting IMD users to different surgeries and decreasing medical costs; they do not need external recharging as they operate as long as the fuel is supplied, by the body fluids; they are a more environmentally friendly technology, decreasing the carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emissions resulting from the utilization of fossil fuels and the dependency on fossil fuels and common batteries. However, they are complex systems involving electrochemical reactions, mass and charge transfer, and microorganisms, which affect their power outputs. Additionally, to achieve the desired levels of energy density needed for real applications, an MFC system must overcome some challenges, such as high costs and low power outputs and lifetime.

KRUTI DAVE, Parth Darji, Fenie Gandhi et al.

Research Square (Research Square) • 2020

Abstract With the expanding population, there is increase in an energy demand, which leads to the depletion of non-sustainable energy sources, for example; fossils. As the current situation speaks, the oil deposits are left for mere 53 years, likely with gas i.e. 52 years and with coal 150 years. So, there is an urgent need to find a sustainable source which is cheap and environment friendly, owing to the fact of current energy consumption level is left for merely 230 years. As committed by green alternative, for the future enhancement of the planet, the fossil fuel abandonment is required, and instigation of renewable resources such as Microbial Fuel Cell [MFCs] and Plant Microbial Fuel Cell [PMFCs] should be implemented. MFC is a visionary technique, as it converts wastage into the energy, whereas, PMFC is a new-fangled technique devoid of any climatic conditions and also it requires less investment. By scrutinizing this technique, Bacillus megaterium and sewage material is used in MFCs whereas Azolla and Trigonella foenum is used in PMFCs, which converts chemical energy into electrical energy with the help of electrons flowing from anode to cathode via circuit. The individual setup of each MFCs and PMFCs are examined diurnally for voltage and current gain proceeded by connection of both [MFC and PMFC] in series with LED in between thus gaining the luminance in LED. So assurance is gained by this technique of MFC and PMFC as distinctive energy harvesting technology equipped with; consistency, maintenance and free power for distant future.

akihiro okamoto, Kohei Shimokawa, Duyen Minh Pham et al.

Research Square • 2024

Abstract The escalating demand for large-scale rechargeable batteries to achieve sustainability goals underscores the urgent need to secure Li metal from diverse sources 1-3 . Intercalation materials offer promise for selective and efficient electrochemical recovery from various sources, but the requirement of electrodes in driving intercalation reactions presents challenges for scale-up 4-6 . Herein, we introduce a biologically driven method for electrochemical Li recovery, utilizing a combination of intercalation nanomaterials and dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria, specifically Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. This method couples bacterial metabolic hydrocarbon oxidation with Li intercalation into λ-MnO₂, achieving rates and selectivity comparable to electrode-based methods across different Li concentrations. Over 95% of Li was recovered from seawater within hours, with less than 1% co-intercalation of other metal ions. The efficacy of this reaction is maintained across scales by the autonomous formation of microbe/λ-MnO₂ agglomerates, in which extracellular and cell-surface cytochromes facilitate efficient electron transfer. Comprehensive techno-economic and life-cycle analyses for Li₂CO₃ production indicate that our method outperforms conventional evaporative processes, reducing on-site Li source water loss by two orders of magnitude without increasing costs. Our scalable bioelectrochemical approach could enable efficient Li recovery and offer great potential for sustainable resource management and recycling for both research and industrial applications.

David N. Breslauer

Advanced Functional Materials • 2024

Over the past two decades, significant advancements have been made in the scalable production and commercialization of microbially‐produced recombinant protein polymers. This perspective presents the evolution from early research efforts to the development of market‐ready products, with a focus on recombinant silk‐like proteins. Initial attempts to synthesize spider silk proteins in microbial hosts faced challenges with solubility, stability, and yield. Recent advancements in synthetic biology, protein engineering, and bioprocess development have enabled the substantial progress on these challenges. Early commercial efforts highlight the complexities and high costs involved in silk production and more recent strategies have shifted toward processes with better scalability, techno‐economics, and product properties. Significant commercial progress has been made, with products launched in textiles and personal care. Although market penetration is limited so far, substantial groundwork is laid for future success. Key challenges remain, such as continued high production costs and the need for cost‐effective purification and fiber spinning techniques. However, the convergence of scientific, technological, and market developments –including a growing number of product launches – suggests that recombinant silk and protein polymers can soon become widespread sustainable materials across various industries.

Chaochao Li, Shaoan Cheng

Critical Reviews in Biotechnology • 2019

Abstract Various new energy technologies have been developed to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The bioelectrochemical system (BES), an integrated microbial–electrochemical energy conversion process, is projected to be a sustainable and environmentally friendly energy technology. However, low power density is still one of the main limiting factors restricting the practical application of BESs. To enhance power output, functional group modification on anode surfaces has been primarily developed to improve the bioelectrochemical performances of BESs in terms of startup, power density, chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal and coulombic efficiency (CE). This modification could change the anode surface characteristics: roughness, hydrophobicity, biocompatibility, chemical bonding and electrochemically active surface area. This will facilitate bacterial adhesion, biofilm formation and extracellular electron transfer (EET). Additionally, some antibacterial functional groups are applied on air cathodes in order to suppress aerobic biofilms and enhance cathodic oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs). Various modification strategies such as: soaking, heat treatment and plasma modification have been reported to introduce functional groups typically as O-, N- and S-containing groups. In this review, the effects of anode functional groups on electroactive bacteria through the whole biofilm formation process are summarized. In addition, the application of those modification technologies to improve bioelectricity generation, resource recovery, bioelectrochemical analysis and the production of value-added chemicals and biofuels is also discussed. Accordingly, this review aims to help scientists select the most appropriate functional groups and up-to-date methods to improve biofilm formation. Graphical Abstract

Jie-jie Chen

Environmental Science & Technology • 2023

Interfacial electron transfer (IET) is essential for chemical and biological transformation of pollutants, operative across diverse lengths and time scales. This Perspective presents an array of multiscale molecular simulation methodologies, supplemented by in situ monitoring and imaging techniques, serving as robust tools to decode IET enhancement mechanisms such as interface molecular modification, catalyst coordination mode, and atomic composition regulation. In addition, three IET-based pollutant transformation systems, an electrocatalytic oxidation system, a bioelectrochemical spatial coupling system, and an enzyme-inspired electrocatalytic system, were developed, demonstrating a high effect in transforming and degrading pollutants. To improve the effectiveness and scalability of IET-based strategies, the refinement of these systems is necessitated through rigorous research and theoretical exploration, particularly in the context of practical wastewater treatment scenarios. Future endeavors aim to elucidate the synergy between biological and chemical modules, edit the environmental functional microorganisms, and harness machine learning for designing advanced environmental catalysts to boost efficiency. This Perspective highlights the powerful potential of IET-focused environmental remediation strategies, emphasizing the critical role of interdisciplinary research in addressing the urgent global challenge of water pollution.

Hasika Suresh, Presley Bird, Kundan Saha et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) • 2025

Summary Electroactive microbes can be used as components in electrical devices to leverage their unique behavior for biotechnology, but they remain challenging to engineer because the bioelectrochemical systems (BES) used for characterization are low-throughput. To overcome this challenge, we describe the development of the Bioelectrochemical Crossbar Architecture Screening Platform (BiCASP), which allows for samples to be arrayed and characterized in individually addressable microwells. This device reliably reports on the current generated by electroactive bacteria on the minute time scale, decreasing the time for data acquisition by several orders of magnitude compared to conventional BES. Also, this device increased the throughput of screening engineered biological components in cells, quickly identifying mutants of the membrane protein wire MtrA in Shewanella oneidensis that retain the ability to support extracellular electron transfer (EET). BiCASP is expected to enable the design of new components for bioelectronics by supporting directed evolution of electroactive proteins. The bigger picture Devices that interface microbes and materials, known as bioelectronics, can be used to sense environmental chemicals in real time, generate energy from sugars, and synthesize chemicals. While these devices leverage the unique capabilities of living systems as components in devices, such as their ability to convert chemical information in the environment into electrical information at the cell surface, it remains challenging to engineer these cellular components and their biomolecules for new applications, largely because commercially available bioelectrochemical systems for monitoring current generated by electroactive microbes are costly and require large culture volumes, needs continuous monitoring for days to obtain stable signals, and multichannel potentiostats to monitor multiple microbes in parallel. To overcome these challenges, we created the Bioelectrochemical Crossbar Architecture Screening Platform or BiCASP that is easy to fabricate, enables parallel analysis of microbial samples in flexible arrayed formats, and yields a stable signal on the minute time scale. This device is expected to enable the application of combinatorial protein engineering methods, such as directed evolution, to proteins that control microbial current production, by allowing for fast screening of cells expressing protein mutant libraries. As a proof-of-concept, we demonstrate that this device can screen for cells that express mutants of decaheme cytochromes that retain the ability to electrically connect cells to electrodes. This device will simplify the engineering of cells and proteins that function as electrical switches as well as the diversification of bioelectronic devices for real-time sensing of chemicals in the environment. Furthermore, BiCASP is promising as a high-throughput screening (HTS) platform, enabling rapid, parallel analysis of cellular and molecular interactions of diverse biological systems through label-free electrochemical methods. Such capabilities could transform drug discovery, personalized medicine, and functional genomics, supporting systematic genetic and chemical screens even at single-cell resolution. Highlights A high-throughput screening platform with individual addressability A device with a flexible crossbar architecture that simplifies current analysis Reproducible detection of real-time cellular current on the minute time scale The device can be used to screen a library for cells with functional protein wires Graphical Abstract

Simone Schmitz, Miriam A. Rosenbaum

Biotechnology and Bioengineering • 2018

Abstract Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) hold great promise for sustainable energy generation via a microbial catalyst from organic matter, for example, from wastewater. To improve current generation in BES, understanding the underlying microbiology of the electrode community is essential. Electron mediator producing microorganism like Pseudomonas aeruginosa play an essential role in efficient electricity generation in BES. These microbes enable even nonelectroactive microorganism like Enterobacter aerogenes to contribute to current production. Together they form a synergistic coculture, where both contribute to community welfare. To use microbial co‐operation in BES, the physical and chemical environments provided in the natural habitats of the coculture play a crucial role. Here, we show that synergistic effects in defined cocultures of P. aeruginosa and E. aerogenes can be strongly enhanced toward high current production by adapting process parameters, like pH, temperature, oxygen demand, and substrate requirements. Especially, oxygen was identified as a major factor influencing coculture behavior and optimization of its supply could enhance electric current production over 400%. Furthermore, operating the coculture in fed‐batch mode enabled us to obtain very high current densities and to harvest electrical energy for 1 month. In this optimized condition, the coulombic efficiency of the process was boosted to 20%, which is outstanding for mediator‐based electron transfer. This study lays the foundation for a rationally designed utilization of cocultures in BES for bioenergy generation from specific wastewaters or for bioprocess sensing and for benefiting from their synergistic effects under controlled bioprocess condition.

Işılay BİLGİÇ

Gazi Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi Part C: Tasarım ve Teknoloji • 2023

Fuel cells are known as eco-friendly systems considering that only water is produced as a secondary product due to energy-producing reactions. However in order to increase the commercial usage of fuel cells, it is necessary to decrease the costs of the catalysts. In recent studies on alternative energy systems microbial fuel cell systems (MFC) with their basic structure and system allowing wastewater treatment, rise to notice. Inorganic molecules as catalysts and microorganisms instead of enzymes are used in MFCs. A majority of the catalysts are wasted in the traditional catalysts coating methods. The control of the particle size of the Pt is derived by using different powers in the coating process. The Pt-coated carbon electrodes are tested both within a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) and MFC. In this study used oxidation bacteria Thiobacillus ferrooxidans on the cathode and mixed culture bacteria on the anode of MFC. As a result of using these electrodes the conductivity and ultimately the performance is increased. The performances of both fuel cell systems are investigated with electrochemical measurements. Moreover, the electron transfer mechanism at the cathode is clarified by examining the porphyrin structure of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans via quantum mechanical methods.

Ummy Mardiana

IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science • 2021

Abstract Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) based on bacteria from Cikurubuk Traditional market waste water has been applied for energy production. We have been observed that there were some potential of microorganims could be applied as renewable source of energy in term of electricity production. A traditional market plays a major role in socio-economics and constitutes a significant aspect of Indonesian culture. One of the major contributors to domestic pollution is a pollution from wastewater traditional market which is containing organic substance and nutriens. This conditions if not properly solved can causes seriously harm the human health and environment. The objective of this study is to develop the waste water treatment technology without energy supply by using the potential activities of microorganism through microbial fuel cell system. We have been determined some biocatalysts from biofilm at the surface of anode. To provide the results some characterizations have been conducted using Chronoamperometry . The optimization of anode conditions have been also studied to maintenance the long performance of MFC. Results confirmed that the biocatalyst activities could be a promising renewable source for energy production and very suitable as an alternative technology based green chemistry technology.

J. Shanthi Sravan, S. Venkata Mohan

Microbial Biotechnology • 2023

Abstract Biogenic waste (solid/liquid/gaseous) utilization in biological processes has disruptive potential of inclining towards carbon neutrality, while producing diverse products output. Anaerobic fermentation (methanogenesis and acidogenesis) routes are crucial bioprocesses for production of various renewable chemicals (carboxylate platform/organic acids, short/medium chain alcohols, aldehydes, biopolymers) and fuels (methane, hydrogen, hythane, biodiesel and electricity), while individual operations posing process limitations on their conversion efficiency. Advantageous benefit of using the individual bioprocess technicalities is of utmost importance in the context of sustainability to conceptualize and execute integrated waste biorefinery. The opinion article intends to document/familiarize the waste‐fed biorefinery potential with application of hybrid advancements towards multiple product/energy/renewable chemical spectrum leading to carbon neutrality bioprocesses. Unique and notable challenges with diverse process integrations along with electrochemical/interspecies‐redox metabolites‐materials synergy/enzymatic interventions are specifically emphasized on application‐oriented waste feedstock potential towards achieving sustainability.

Mesut Yılmazoğlu

Algal Biotechnology for Fuel Applications • 2022

The purpose of this book chapter is to provide general information regardingmicrobial fuel cell (MFC) systems, an important type of fuel cell of environmentallyfriendly energy conversion systems as an alternative to fossil fuel technologies.Besides, it is one of the main motivations of this study to include the academicliterature on microbial fuel cells, which is a very popular field of study in recent years.In this context, the history, principles, and different approaches of MFCs are discussed.After that, the materials (anode, cathode, membrane, etc.) that make up the system areexamined. Finally, different types of microbial fuel cells that can be varied by materialdesign are discussed and presented.

M. Haddad, O. Joudeh

Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering Technology • 2021

The technical and economic feasibility of microbial fuel cell use in wastewater treatment for energy and resource recovery was investigated. A double chambered-MFC model (DS-MFC) operated by primary effluent wastewater as substrate was used. Four different COD-MFCs groups were constructed in three duplicates (input COD from 342 to 1733 mg/l). Initial COD value, electrode type, and salt bridge size and its concentration were set and fixed for each MFC group. After 15 days-startup period the MFCs were operated for 30 days. COD was measured for the twelve MFCs every two days and output voltage was measured every 24 hours. Results revealed that the COD of the substrate used in MFC at any time is related proportionally to output voltage from that MFC, and a logarithmic model was found that can be used to predict COD for a wastewater sample by measuring output voltage of MFC operated by that sample. Maximum COD removal percentage achieved in this study was 87.1 % which agrees with published research. A maximum output power achieved was 0.585 W/m3 treated. It was found that COD removal behavior for the first group (typical wastewater composition) was second order while the other three groups with higher concentrations was first order. The payback period of the system under consideration was estimated at 8.3 years (infeasible). If we include the environmental and energy challenge benefits of the system to its economic feasibility, the system feasibility could be considered appropriate.

I. Ieropoulos

The 2019 Conference on Artificial Life • 2019

This talk will present results from the practical implementation of MFCs in a range of applications. The presentation will show the chronological evolution of the technology, starting from the earlier implementation in robotics to the more recent development in sanitation and as a robotic chemostat for maintaining steady state conditions in microbial communities. The talk will have a focus on EvoBot, a robotic chemostat that has been developed as part of the EU FP-7 EVOBLISS project (611640), which was funded under the Evolving Living Technologies Programme. The work combined scientific approaches from robotics, artificial intelligence, chemistry, and microbiology and the talk will demonstrate how the integration of these otherwise disparate disciplines was used to produce i) a generally useful, expandable and customizable technical platform for the artificial evolution of new materials and applications based on a real-time feedback robotic workstation and ii) a specific improved technology, namely a microbial fuel cell, that incorporates natural as well as artificial macro-, micro-, and nanoscale elements for improved function. EvoBot was used with the scientific objective to investigate the possibility of optimizing artificial chemical life, microbial ecosystems, and nanoparticles and their physiochemical, dynamic environments using robot facilitated, artificial evolution. The main conceptual synergy of EVOBLISS was to embody the principles of living technology at various scales in order to probe a system?s ability to evolve within and between scales. The talk continues with a description of the multiple by-products that can be produced by the core MFC technology and concludes with the case for microbial fuel cells as a platform technology for multiple a range of environments including sanitation, renewable energy generation, production of value-added products via elemental recycling and wastewater treatment.

Supachai Puengsungwan

2022 37th International Technical Conference on Circuits/Systems, Computers and Communications (ITC-CSCC) • 2022

A wireless sensor network (WSN s) is a technology that can monitor physical changes especially when the region of interest has a large area. This paper presents a new concept for monitoring rice-paddy health using WSN s for precision agriculture. The proposed concept applies Plant-Microbial Fuel Cell (P-MFC) principle for harvesting electrical energy to supply a sensor node. At the same time, the photosynthesis perception of rice plants is carried out through the existing perception available in the electrodes of the energy harvesting (EH) system. Experiments have shown that the proposed concept can realize EH at 1.011 mW/m2 and can sense changes in the photosynthesis of rice plants without the need to install an external light sensor. To achieve lifetime concern of an energy storage, supercapacitors are proposed instead of lithium batteries. According to the experimental results, charging current of supercapacitors can reach at 0.374 μAh/m2.

Daxing Zhang, He-Wen Tian, Yongxian Guo

Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Wireless Communication and Sensor Networks (WCSN 2016) • 2017

Terrestrial Microbial Fuel Cells (TMFCs) can be inoculated and work using of soil, which overcomes the shortcomings of Aquatic Microbial Fuel Cells (AMFCs) and extends application areas of MFCs. Energy supply, as a primary influential factor determining the lifetime of Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) nodes, remains an open challenge. In theory, sensor nodes powered by MFCs have an eternal life. However, low output voltage and power density of MFCs are two pronounced challenges for the application in WSNs. A Terrestrial microbial fuel cell (TMFC) reactor is proposed in the paper. The power generation performance of the proposed TMFC is tested. A single-hop WSN powered by a TMFC experimental setup was designed and experimented with. Results show that the TMFC can achieve enough power for the WSN node working periodically, which validates the feasibility of WSNs powering by TMFCs. Keywords-Terrestrial microbial fuel cell; wireless sensor network; energy harvesting; power management

Pedro Serra, Antonio Vitoria Espirito-Santo

Advances in Environmental Engineering and Green Technologies • 2016

Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC) are the main topic of this chapter. Different types of electrochemical devices are presented and their typical power output is compared with other energy sources, providing a framework for the uses and applications of MFC technology. Following an historical approach of how this technology came to be, a more detailed description of some aspects of a typical microbial fuel cell is then brought forward. The energy harvesting concept, its use on low power wireless systems and maximum power point tracking (MPPT) techniques are presented and described. Wastewater treatment plants are a kind of infrastructure where this technology could be applied with a major success to power wireless sensing networks. An experimental setup, develop to improve the use of MFC in waste water treatment plants is presented. This chapter also provides a review on research trends for microbial fuel cells and maximum power point tracking algorithms, therefore, pointing current researches on this technology.

Meizhen Gao

International Journal of Energy Research • 2024

The need for sustainable integrated energy systems to mitigate environmental impact is hindered by challenges in fluctuating demand, trading reliability, and trustworthiness. This paper proposes an innovative approach to tackle these challenges by introducing a blockchain-based integrated energy system trading model with smart contracts. It is intricately linked with the operation of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology and power-to-gas (P2G) equipment. The CCS-P2G-coupled operation principle is first outlined, followed by the presentation of a comprehensive system model. The peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading algorithm is enhanced using the Bloom filtering technique. Leveraging smart contracts, a distributed energy trading mechanism is employed, resulting in a meticulously constructed integrated energy system trading model for CCS-P2G-coupled operation. The proposed model is rigorously evaluated for energy trading efficiency and system performance, revealing significant improvements compared to prior studies and showcasing substantial cumulative benefits. Three operation scenarios are examined, with experimental results highlighting the model’s superior carbon emission reduction capacity. This study introduces an innovative paradigm for trading and managing integrated energy systems, holding potential implications for the sustainable development and decarbonization transition of future energy systems.

Murali Krishna Pasupuleti

• 2024

Abstract: This research volume presents a comprehensive and interdisciplinary examination of blockchain technology and its transformative applications across finance, real estate, healthcare, and renewable energy systems. The book establishes a conceptual and technical foundation for understanding distributed ledger technologies, cryptographic protocols, and smart contract architectures, while also exploring the evolving governance and interoperability standards shaping blockchain ecosystems. The work constructs an integrated framework that addresses pressing challenges in centralized infrastructures—ranging from inefficiencies in global financial systems and opaque land registries to fragmented healthcare data and non-transparent energy markets. Methodologically, the book combines formal analysis, case studies, and implementation models, utilizing both permissionless and permissioned blockchain platforms. Specific topics include decentralized finance (DeFi), tokenized asset ownership, blockchain-enabled health data management, and peer-to-peer energy trading frameworks. Key findings demonstrate blockchain's capacity to enhance security, transparency, automation, and inclusivity in socio-economic systems. The results highlight improved transactional efficiency in cross-border payments, fraud-resistant property verification systems, tamper-proof clinical trial data pipelines, and auditable renewable energy certificate trading. The book concludes with a discussion on ethical implications, energy sustainability, algorithmic fairness, and regulatory alignment. The implications extend to academic researchers, policymakers, and industry practitioners seeking to implement or evaluate blockchain-driven transformations. This volume serves as a foundational resource for reimagining institutional trust, digital identity, and decentralized governance in the age of distributed technologies. Keywords Blockchain, decentralized systems, smart contracts, distributed ledger technology, DeFi, tokenization, digital assets, real estate technology, healthcare interoperability, patient data sovereignty, blockchain in clinical trials, pharmaceutical supply chain, peer-to-peer energy trading, renewable energy certificates, energy-efficient consensus, blockchain governance, Layer 2 solutions, cross-chain interoperability, regulatory compliance, algorithmic transparency.

Payman Rezaei, Masoud AliAkbar Golkar

IET Blockchain • 2024

Abstract This study presents an innovative energy management framework for multi‐microgrids, integrating the burgeoning domain of cryptocurrency mining. Cryptocurrencies, a novel fusion of encryption technology and financial currency, are witnessing exponential global growth. This expansion correlates with a surge in the prevalence of mining activities, amplifying electricity consumption and necessitating accelerated advancements in urban transmission and distribution infrastructures, coupled with increased financial investments. Despite cryptocurrencies' growth, comprehensive research to capitalize on their potential is scarce. This article introduces an operation cost model for miners in the proposed dual‐stage framework. The first stage is dedicated to day‐ahead scheduling, focusing on peak shaving and valley filling in the electricity demand curve, while concurrently optimizing operational costs. The second stage, updating each 5 min, minimizes imbalances in response to uncertain network conditions. A pivotal feature of this framework is the allocation of revenues generated from mining operations towards enhancing renewable energy resources. Empirical simulations underscore the framework's efficacy, evidenced by a substantial peak shaving of 482.833 kW and valley filling of 4084.42 kW. Furthermore, this approach effectively maintains operational costs within a feasible spectrum. Notably, the demand curve's peak‐to‐valley distance extends to 4 MW, with the revenue from mining activities alone sufficient to offset operational expenditures.

Erginbay Uğurlu, Yusuf Muratoğlu

Research Anthology on Blockchain Technology in Business, Healthcare, Education, and Government • 2021

Two of the important topics concerning scientists and governments are blockchain and climate change. After the paper of Satoshi Nakamoto, blockchains became a global phenomenon. After its usage for cryptocurrencies, blockchain is starting to be used for digital protocols and smart contracts. Blockchain technology is used in many sectors, such as banking, finance, car leasing, entertainment, energy, etc. Climate change leads to global warming, which means the long-term warming of the planet. Therefore, governments have made an effort to decrease global warming or keep it stable. One of the mitigation ways of global warming is to use renewable energy. Solar energy is one of the most used types of renewable energy sources, and also blockchain technology is widely used in this sector. In this chapter, the authors investigate the use of blockchain technology in the solar energy sector.

Murali Krishna Pasupuleti

Blockchain Revolution: Transforming Finance, Real Estate, Healthcare, and Renewable Energy • 2024

The chapter "Decentralized Innovation: Transforming Finance, Real Estate, Healthcare, and Energy with Blockchain" explores the profound impact of blockchain technology in reshaping key global industries. By leveraging decentralization, blockchain enhances transparency, trust, and efficiency, eliminating intermediaries and fostering innovation. The chapter delves into blockchain’s transformative role in finance through decentralized finance (DeFi) and cross-border transactions, revolutionizes real estate with tokenization and smart contracts, secures healthcare data while enhancing pharmaceutical supply chains, and advances renewable energy with peer-to-peer trading and carbon credit management. Through case studies, challenges such as scalability, regulatory hurdles, and ethical considerations are analyzed alongside emerging trends like blockchain-AI integration and cross-industry applications. This comprehensive exploration underscores blockchain’s potential to drive a sustainable, transparent, and decentralized future across sectors. Keywords Blockchain, Decentralization, Decentralized Finance, DeFi, Smart Contracts, Tokenization, Renewable Energy, Healthcare Data Security, Peer-to-Peer Energy Trading, Carbon Credit Management, Blockchain-AI Integration, Transparent Supply Chains, Real Estate Innovation, Cross-Industry Blockchain Applications, Decentralized Ecosystems.

Scott J. Satinover, Miguel Rodriguez, Maria F Campa et al.

Research Square • 2020

Abstract Background Microbial electrolysis is a promising technology for converting aqueous wastes into hydrogen. Substrate adaptability is an important feature, seldom documented in Microbial Electrolysis Cells (MECs). The correlation between substrate composition and community structure has not been well established. This study used a MEC capable of producing over 10 L/L-day of hydrogen from a switchgrass-derived bio-oil aqueous phase and investigated four additional substrates. The additional substrates included a red oak-derived bio-oil aqueous phase, a corn stover fermentation product, a mixture of phenol and acetate, and acetate alone. Results The MEC fed with the corn stover fermentation product resulted in the highest performance among the complex feedstocks, producing an average current density of 7.3 A/m 2 , although the acetate fed MEC outperformed complex substrates, producing 12 ± A/m 2 . 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that community structure and community diversity were not predictive of performance, and replicate community structures diverged despite identical inoculum and enrichment procedure. The trends in each replicate, however, were indicative of the influence of the substrates. Geobacter was the most dominant genus across most of the samples tested, but its abundance did not correlate strongly to current density. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) showed that acetate accumulated during open-circuit conditions when MECs were fed with complex feedstocks and was quickly degraded once closed-circuit conditions were applied. The largest net acetic acid removal rate occurred when MECs were fed with red oak bio-oil aqueous phase, consuming 2.93 ± 0.00 g/L-day. Principal component analysis found that MEC performance metrics such as current density, hydrogen productivity, and COD removal were closely correlated. Net acetic acid removal was also found to correlate with performance. However, no bacterial genus correlated to performance metrics, and the analysis suggested that less than 70% of the variance was accounted for by the two components. Conclusions This study demonstrates the robustness of microbial communities to adapt to a range of feedstocks and conditions without relying on specific species, delivering high hydrogen productivities, thus indicating functional adaptation vs. compositional requirement. MECs may,, play a central role in the 21 st -century bioeconomy as factories producing a zero-emission fuel.

Ellie Vipond, Pattanathu K.S.M. Rahman

Advances in Environmental Engineering and Green Technologies • 2018

The engineering of replacements for crude oil is a priority within industrial biotechnology. Biogas, produced by anaerobic digestion (AD) during organic waste degradation, has been used for electricity generation and heating. Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) are an emerging technology which when combined with AD can produce higher yields of such energy whilst simultaneously treating waste water and sludge. MECs are bioelectrochemical systems which utilize the metabolism of microbes to oxidize organics. The majority of the research has been focused on biohydrogen production, despite associated issues, which has resulted in poor commercialization prospects. Consequently, scientists are now suggesting that methane production should be the focus of MEC technology. This chapter presents lab research on the bioprocessing of biomethane using AD and MECs and addresses important issues, namely the lack of pilot-scale studies. Downstream processing techniques are discussed, as well as a novel suggestion of further utilising MECs in the purification process.

Hyungwon Chai, Bonyoung Koo, Sunghoon Son et al.

Preprints.org • 2020

Electrode is a key component in a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) and it needs significant improvement for practical implementation of MEC. For effective development of electrode technology, accurate and reproducible analytical methods are very important. Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) is an essential analytical method for evaluating electrode performance; however, it has not been firmly established yet in the MEC field. In this study, biological brush (BB), abiotic brush (AB), Pt wire (PtW), stainless steel wire (SSW) and mesh (SSM)) were tested to explore the most suitable counter electrode in different medium conditions. Coefficient of variation (CV) for Imax of LSV were comparatively analyzed. In BB-anode LSV, SSW (0.48%) and SSM (2.17%) showed higher reproducibility as a counter electrode. In SSM-cathode LSV, BB (1.76%) and PtW (2.01%) produced more reproducible results. In the Ni-AC-SSM-cathode LSV, PtW (3.54%) and BB (8.81%) produced more reproducible result. It shows electrode used in the operation is an appropriate counter electrode in the acetate-added condition. However, in the absence of acetate, PtW (1.24%) and BB (1.71%) produced more reproducible results in SSM cathode and PtW (0.61%) and SSW (1.21%) did in the Ni-AC-SSM-cathode, showing PtW is an appropriate counter electrode. These results also shows that PtW is an appropriate counter electrode in cathode LSV.

N. Sharma, Sarita Bhandari, A. K. Bhargava

Asian Journal of Research in Chemistry • 2015

Water pollution is serious issue with rapid progress of urbanization and industrialization in the country. The discharge of sewage and industrial waste and effluents to water resource is damaging both flora and fauna near the receiving water bodies. Paodhoi River originates at the foot hills of Shivalik ranges and passes through main city of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India and finally confluence into the Hindane River near Tapri. The quality of the water of river at origin is quite good but as it enters into city, this river carries large volume of municipal waste, sewage waste as well as industrial waste. The collected water samples in three season viz., summer, winter and monsoon from three sampling sites for two consecutive years revealed that level of BOD were near to alarming stage at downstream and quality of river water was worse than treated wastewater from industry. Presence of type of microorganism and aquatic organisms provide a clue on the environmental conditions prevailing in the particular habitat. The concentration of total phytoplankton was found highest (488 μ/l ± 30.46) in the summer season at upstream with good water quality and deteriorated to lowest in the downstream with polluted water. Similarly MPN count was highest in the downstream.

Abasyn Journal Life Sciences • 2018

Biofouling is a serious and challenging problem in water treatment systems which hinder the efficiency of membrane filtration performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the biofouling propensity and biological treatment performance of a bacterial consortium in a biological membrane bioreactor for the treatment of dye wastewater. During bioreactor operation with the bacterial consortium, a significant relationship was revealed between transmembrane pressure (TMP) and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). When tested for dye and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal, SMBR showed increased removal performance with the operating time, possibly owing to the biofilm formation on membrane and the adaptation of sludge. Thus, it is expected that the results of this study will be valuable for further development of a suitable biofouling mitigation strategy for batik wastewater treatment in membrane bioreactor. Keywords: Biofouling; biofilm, Batik wastewater; bacterial consortium; extracellular polymeric substances

Shashi Kant Bhatia

Sustainability • 2021

A continuous increase in global population is demanding more development and industrialization, which leads to the production of various waste such as municipal wastewater, agricultural waste, industrial waste, medical waste, electronic wastes, etc [...]