Microbial fuel cells: exploring electrochemical, biological and applied aspects

Abstract

Developed as the earliest application of electroactive microorganisms, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been intensively researched over the past two decades. The original goal of harnessing microbially-derived electricity for power generation has been partially successful, particularly for low-wattage devices. Beyond this, MFC technology has proven versatile with additional applications including as a research tool for the enrichment and isolation of novel electroactive microorganisms, as early-detection biosensors, for wastewater treatment and (with supply of additional energy) for microbial electrosynthesis. This chapter provides a comprehensive landscape of modern MFC technology. A brief historical perspective is followed by a primer of MFCs for the beginner. Next, a detailed discussed of the current knowledge on microbial electroactivity, best practices for characterisation, and practicalities of MFC operation is presented. The chapter concludes with an examination of present and emerging MFC applications.