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Electricity generation by a plant microbial fuel cell with an integrated oxygen reducing biocathode

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  • Wetser, Koen
  • Sudirjo, Emilius
  • Buisman, Cees J.N.
  • Strik, David P.B.T.B.

Abstract

In this study we show that a chemical ferricyanide cathode can be replaced by a biological oxygen reducing cathode in a plant microbial fuel cell (PMFC) with a new record power output. A biocathode was successfully integrated in a PMFC and operated for 151days. Plants growth continued and the power density increased reaching a maximum power output of 679mW/m2 plant growth area (PGA) in a 10min polarization. The two week record average power densities was 240mW/m2 PGA. The new records were reached due to the high redox potential of oxygen reduction which was effectively catalyzed by microorganisms in the cathode. This resulted in a 127mV higher cathode potential of the PMFC with a biocathode than a PMFC with a ferricyanide cathode. We also found that substrate availability in the anode likely limits the current generation. This work is crucial for PMFC application as it shows that PMFC can be a completely sustainable biotechnology with an improved power output.

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  • Wetser, Koen & Sudirjo, Emilius & Buisman, Cees J.N. & Strik, David P.B.T.B., 2015. "Electricity generation by a plant microbial fuel cell with an integrated oxygen reducing biocathode," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 151-157.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:137:y:2015:i:c:p:151-157
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2014.10.006
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    1. Trapero, Juan R. & Horcajada, Laura & Linares, Jose J. & Lobato, Justo, 2017. "Is microbial fuel cell technology ready? An economic answer towards industrial commercialization," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P1), pages 698-707.
    2. Wetser, Koen & Dieleman, Kim & Buisman, Cees & Strik, David, 2017. "Electricity from wetlands: Tubular plant microbial fuels with silicone gas-diffusion biocathodes," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P1), pages 642-649.
    3. Farahmand Habibi, Maryam & Arvand, Majid & Sohrabnezhad, Shabnam, 2021. "Boosting bioelectricity generation in microbial fuel cells using metal@metal oxides/nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
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    5. Van Limbergen, T. & Bonné, R. & Hustings, J. & Valcke, R. & Thijs, S. & Vangronsveld, J. & Manca, J.V., 2022. "Plant microbial fuel cells from the perspective of photovoltaics: Efficiency, power, and applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    6. Kabutey, Felix Tetteh & Zhao, Qingliang & Wei, Liangliang & Ding, Jing & Antwi, Philip & Quashie, Frank Koblah & Wang, Weiye, 2019. "An overview of plant microbial fuel cells (PMFCs): Configurations and applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 402-414.
    7. Kim, Jung Hwan & Park, I Seul & Park, Joo Yang, 2015. "Electricity generation and recovery of iron hydroxides using a single chamber fuel cell with iron anode and air-cathode for electrocoagulation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 18-27.
    8. Han, He-Xing & Shi, Chen & Yuan, Li & Sheng, Guo-Ping, 2017. "Enhancement of methyl orange degradation and power generation in a photoelectrocatalytic microbial fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 382-389.
    9. Apollon, Wilgince & Kamaraj, Sathish-Kumar & Silos-Espino, Héctor & Perales-Segovia, Catarino & Valera-Montero, Luis L. & Maldonado-Ruelas, Víctor A. & Vázquez-Gutiérrez, Marco A. & Ortiz-Medina, Raúl, 2020. "Impact of Opuntia species plant bio-battery in a semi-arid environment: Demonstration of their applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    10. Bajracharya, Suman & Sharma, Mohita & Mohanakrishna, Gunda & Dominguez Benneton, Xochitl & Strik, David P.B.T.B. & Sarma, Priyangshu M. & Pant, Deepak, 2016. "An overview on emerging bioelectrochemical systems (BESs): Technology for sustainable electricity, waste remediation, resource recovery, chemical production and beyond," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 153-170.
    11. de Jager, Pim & Groen, Daniel & Strik, David P.B.T.B., 2023. "Long-term performance of pilot-scale tubular plant-microbial fuel cells in a brownfield-constructed wetland," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 219(P2).
    12. Wang, Chin-Tsan & Huang, Yan-Sian & Sangeetha, Thangavel & Yan, Wei-Mon, 2018. "Assessment of recirculation batch mode operation in bufferless Bio-cathode microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs)," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 209(C), pages 120-126.
    13. Wang, Chin-Tsan & Pal, Pushparaj & Wang, Xin-Chang, 2025. "EM waves-based microbial fuel cells integrated to improve performance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 377(PA).
    14. Emilius Sudirjo & Paola Y. Constantino Diaz & Matteo Cociancich & Rens Lisman & Christian Snik & Cees J. N. Buisman & David P. B. T. B. Strik, 2020. "A Thin Layer of Activated Carbon Deposited on Polyurethane Cube Leads to New Conductive Bioanode for (Plant) Microbial Fuel Cell," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-21, January.
    15. Paulina Rusanowska & Marcin Dębowski & Marcin Zieliński, 2025. "Microalgae-Assisted Microbial Fuel Cell for Treatment of Difficult Waste Streams," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-19, February.
    16. Nitisoravut, Rachnarin & Regmi, Roshan, 2017. "Plant microbial fuel cells: A promising biosystems engineering," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 81-89.
    17. Vera, Sergio & Pinto, Camilo & Tabares-Velasco, Paulo Cesar & Bustamante, Waldo, 2018. "A critical review of heat and mass transfer in vegetative roof models used in building energy and urban enviroment simulation tools," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 752-764.
    18. Li, Yan & Williams, Isaiah & Xu, Zhiheng & Li, Baikun & Li, Baitao, 2016. "Energy-positive nitrogen removal using the integrated short-cut nitrification and autotrophic denitrification microbial fuel cells (MFCs)," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 352-360.
    19. Renata Toczyłowska-Mamińska & Mariusz Ł. Mamiński & Wojciech Kwasowski, 2025. "Microbial Fuel Cell Technology as a New Strategy for Sustainable Management of Soil-Based Ecosystems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-31, February.
    20. Pasternak, Grzegorz & Greenman, John & Ieropoulos, Ioannis, 2016. "Regeneration of the power performance of cathodes affected by biofouling," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 431-437.
    21. Jiang, Yong & Liang, Peng & Zhang, Changyong & Bian, Yanhong & Sun, Xueliang & Zhang, Helan & Yang, Xufei & Zhao, Feng & Huang, Xia, 2016. "Periodic polarity reversal for stabilizing the pH in two-chamber microbial electrolysis cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 670-675.

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