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Microbial electrolysis cell (MEC): Strengths, weaknesses and research needs from electrochemical engineering standpoint

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  • Rousseau, Raphaël
  • Etcheverry, Luc
  • Roubaud, Emma
  • Basséguy, Régine
  • Délia, Marie-Line
  • Bergel, Alain

Abstract

Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) produce hydrogen at the cathode associated with the oxidation of organic matter at the anode. This technology can produce hydrogen by consuming less electrical energy than water electrolysis does. However, it has been very difficult so far to scale up efficient MECs beyond the size of small laboratory cells.

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  • Rousseau, Raphaël & Etcheverry, Luc & Roubaud, Emma & Basséguy, Régine & Délia, Marie-Line & Bergel, Alain, 2020. "Microbial electrolysis cell (MEC): Strengths, weaknesses and research needs from electrochemical engineering standpoint," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:257:y:2020:i:c:s0306261919316253
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.113938
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    2. Liu, Hong-zhou & Chen, Tie-zhu & Wang, Nan & Zhang, Yu-rui & Li, Jian-chang, 2024. "A new strategy for improving MFC power output by shared electrode MFC–MEC coupling," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 359(C).
    3. Ilias Apostolopoulos & Georgios Bampos & Amaia Soto Beobide & Stefanos Dailianis & George Voyiatzis & Symeon Bebelis & Gerasimos Lyberatos & Georgia Antonopoulou, 2021. "The Effect of Anode Material on the Performance of a Hydrogen Producing Microbial Electrolysis Cell, Operating with Synthetic and Real Wastewaters," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-20, December.
    4. Eunjin Jwa & Mijin Kim & Ji-Hyung Han & Namjo Jeong & Hyun-Chul Kim & Yeo-Myeong Yun & Joo-Youn Nam, 2021. "Feasibility of Using Electrodes with Ultralow Pt Loading in Two-Chamber Microbial Electrolysis Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-9, November.
    5. Pooja Dange & Soumya Pandit & Dipak Jadhav & Poojhaa Shanmugam & Piyush Kumar Gupta & Sanjay Kumar & Manu Kumar & Yung-Hun Yang & Shashi Kant Bhatia, 2021. "Recent Developments in Microbial Electrolysis Cell-Based Biohydrogen Production Utilizing Wastewater as a Feedstock," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-37, August.
    6. Ahmed Fathy & Hegazy Rezk & Dalia Yousri & Abdullah G. Alharbi & Sulaiman Alshammari & Yahia B. Hassan, 2023. "Maximizing Bio-Hydrogen Production from an Innovative Microbial Electrolysis Cell Using Artificial Intelligence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-13, February.
    7. J. Sadhik Basha & Tahereh Jafary & Ranjit Vasudevan & Jahanzeb Khan Bahadur & Muna Al Ajmi & Aadil Al Neyadi & Manzoore Elahi M. Soudagar & MA Mujtaba & Abrar Hussain & Waqar Ahmed & Kiran Shahapurkar, 2021. "Potential of Utilization of Renewable Energy Technologies in Gulf Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-29, September.
    8. Liang, Dandan & Zhang, Lijuan & He, Weihua & Li, Chao & Liu, Junfeng & Liu, Shaoqin & Lee, Hyung-Sool & Feng, Yujie, 2020. "Efficient hydrogen recovery with CoP-NF as cathode in microbial electrolysis cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    9. Leicester, Daniel & Amezaga, Jaime & Heidrich, Elizabeth, 2020. "Is bioelectrochemical energy production from wastewater a reality? Identifying and standardising the progress made in scaling up microbial electrolysis cells," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    10. Ding, Lingkan & Wang, Yuchuan & Lin, Hongjian & van Lierop, Leif & Hu, Bo, 2022. "Facilitating solid-state anaerobic digestion of food waste via bio-electrochemical treatment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    11. René Alejandro Flores-Estrella & Victor Alcaraz-Gonzalez & Andreas Haarstrick, 2022. "A Catalytic Effectiveness Factor for a Microbial Electrolysis Cell Biofilm Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-18, June.
    12. Merabet, Nour Hane & Kerboua, Kaouther & Hoinkis, Jan, 2024. "Hydrogen production from wastewater: A comprehensive review of conventional and solar powered technologies," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).

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