A review of microbial fuel cell and its diversification in the development of green energy technology

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 350; p. 141127
• Main Authors: Sonawane, Amol V., Rikame, Satish, Sonawane, Shirish H., Gaikwad, Mahendra, Bhanvase, Bharat, Sonawane, Shriram S., Mungray, Arvind Kumar, Gaikwad, Ravindra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2024
• Subjects: Cathode and anode modification; Energy generation; Energy to wealth; MFC configurations; Polymeric membranes; Energy generation; Energy to wealth; MFC configurations; Polymeric membranes; Cathode and anode modification
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141127

The advancement of microbial fuel cell technology is rapidly growing, with extensive research and well-established methodologies for enhancing structural performance. This terminology attracts researchers to compare the MFC devices on a technological basis. The architectural and scientific successes of MFCs are only possible with the knowledge of engineering and technical fields. This involves the structure of MFCs, using substrates and architectural backbones regarding electrode advancement, separators and system parameter measures. Knowing about the MFCs facilitates the systematic knowledge of engineering and scientific principles. The current situation of rapid urbanization and industrial growth is demanding the augmented engineering goods and production which results in unsolicited burden on traditional wastewater treatment plants. Consequently, posing health hazards and disturbing aquatic veracity due to partial and untreated wastewater. Therefore, it's sensible to evaluate the performance of MFCs as an unconventional treatment method over conventional one to treat the wastewater. However, MFCs some benefits like power generation, stumpy carbon emission and wastewater treatment are the main reasons behind the implementation. Nonetheless, few challenges like low power generation, scaling up are still the major areas needs to be focused so as to make MFCs sustainable one. We have focused on few archetypes which majorities have been laboratory scale in operations. To ensure the efficiency MFCs are needed to integrate and compatible with conventional wastewater treatment schemes. This review intended to explore the diversification in architecture of MFCs, exploration of MFCs ingredients and to provide the foreseen platform for the researchers in one source, so as to establish the channel for scaling up the technology. Further, the present review show that the MFC with different polymer membranes and cathode and anode modification presents significant role for potential commercial applications after change the system form prototype to pilot scale. [Display omitted] •A comprehensive analysis of the electron transfer process in microbial fuel cells (MFC) is provided.•Microbial fuel cells (MFC) provide advantages in both waste management and green energy production.•Microbial fuel cell designs influence substrate utilization.•MFC hybrid systems simultaneously remove organic pollutants and generate electricity.