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Progress and recent trends in photosynthetic assisted microbial fuel cells: A

review

Article  in  Biomass and Bioenergy · May 2021

DOI: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2021.106028

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 Biomass and Bioenergy 148 (2021) 106028

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Biomass and Bioenergy

journal homepage: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/biombioe

Progress and recent trends in photosynthetic assisted microbial fuel cells:

A review
Wilgince Apollon a, Alejandro Isabel Luna-Maldonado a, *, Sathish-Kumar Kamaraj b, **,
Juan Antonio Vidales-Contreras a, Humberto Rodríguez-Fuentes a, Juan F. Gómez-Leyva c,
Juana Aranda-Ruíz a
a
Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Agronomía, Departamento de Ingeniería Agrícola y de los Alimentos, Francisco Villa S/N, Ex-Hacienda El Canadá,
General Escobedo, Nuevo León, 66050, Mexico
b
TecNM-Instituto Tecnológico El Llano Aguascalientes (ITEL), Laboratorio de Medio Ambiente Sostenible, Km.18 Carretera Aguascalientes-San Luis Potosí, El Llano
Ags., C.P, 0330, Mexico
c
TecNM-Instituto Tecnológico de Tlajomulco (ITTJ), Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Km 10 Carretera a San Miguel Cuyutlán, Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, Jalisco, C.P,
45640, Mexico

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) such as microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and plant microbial fuel cells (P-MFCs) are
Bioelectricity renewable energy sources, which have been developed for various applications. These include, biosensors,
Plant microbial fuel cell biofuel production, wastewater treatment, surface water remediation and contaminated sediments. Unlike
Rhizodeposits
conventional MFCs, P-MFCs can generate electricity continuously while the plant grows and can be used in any
field use for crop production without harming the plants. However, the application of these systems on a large-
scale has presented great challenges to date. This is firstly due to commercialization; secondly, low energy ef­
ficiency when compared to other systems. This has been based on, several configurations of P-MFC embedded
with C3, C4 and CAM plants, bryophytes, macrophyte and algae which have previously been reported. However,
there can be no doubt that these technologies have other advantages, which are largely based on the self-
sustaining nature of bacteria transfer or accepted electrons. Recent signs of progress in the configurations,
different electrode materials used, the requirements of bioelectricity generation for the improvement of P-MFCs,
as well as their possible application in real-time and associated challenges are shown here. P-MFC technologies
will no doubt receive more attention when they are scaled up and properly configured to be applied in real-time
in order to reduce energy shortages.

used for wastewater treatment was developed by Habermann and

Pommer [5]. Then in 2003 and 2004 researchers further developed
1. Introduction
MFCs to improve power output [6,7] providing possible opportunities
for practical applications in real-time.
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are bioelectrochemical systems (BES)
In an MFC, biological reactions are used to produce a biomass
that have been developed to generate sustainable electricity. MFCs
oxidation reaction and are divided into two groups according to the type
generate electrical energy through the metabolic activities of electro­
of catalyst used: 1.-enzymes and 2.-microorganisms. When enzymes are
chemically active bacteria (EAB) [1]. This technology is not new and the
used, the most widely studied mechanism is the two-electron oxidation
concept of using microbes as catalysts in fuel cells was investigated as far
system featuring glucose oxidase (GOx) or glucose dehydrogenase
back as the 1970s [2]. Furthermore, the idea of generating electricity
(GDH) [8]. MFCs also have different operational and functional ad­
using microbial cultures was reported as early as the beginning of the
vantages over the technologies currently used to produce energy using
20th century [3]. According to Lovely [4], MFC technologies represent a
organic matter [9]: (i) MFC technologies do not require gas treatment;
novel approach to the use of bacteria for the generation of bioelectricity
(ii) MFCs have a capacity for widespread application in locations that
by oxidation of organic waste and renewable biomass. The first MFC

* Corresponding author.
** Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: alejandro.lunaml@uanl.edu.mx (A.I. Luna-Maldonado), sathish.k@llano.tecnm.mx (S.-K. Kamaraj).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2021.106028
Received 15 November 2020; Received in revised form 16 February 2021; Accepted 21 February 2021
0961-9534/© 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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