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Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC): A Potential Game-Changer in Renewable Energy Development

Author

Listed:
  • Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan

    (College of Ecology and the Environment, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China)

  • Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman

    (Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor Baru 81310, Malaysia)

  • Xue Liang

    (School of Electrical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China)

  • Muhammad Ayub

    (Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor Baru 81310, Malaysia)

  • Hui Hwang Goh

    (School of Electrical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China)

  • Tutuk Djoko Kusworo

    (Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Diponegoro University, Semarang 50275, Indonesia)

  • Ayesha Mohyuddin

    (Department Chemistry, School of Science, University of Management and Technology, Lahore 54770, Pakistan)

  • Kit Wayne Chew

    (School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459, Singapore)

Abstract

Currently, access to electricity in the cities of the Global South is so limited that electrification remains low in rural areas. Unless properly tackled, one-third of the world’s cities will suffer from energy scarcity. The emergence of microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology accelerates the deployment of decentralized and sustainable energy solutions that can address the looming energy shortage. This review consolidates scattered knowledge into one article about the performance of MFC in optimizing electricity generation from phosphorus (P)-laden wastewater, while removing the target nutrient from wastewater simultaneously. It is obvious from a literature survey of 108 published articles (1999–2022) that the applications of MFC for building a self-powered municipal water treatment system represents an important breakthrough, as this enables water treatment operators to generate electricity without affecting the atmospheric balance of CO 2 . Using a pyrite-based wetland MFC, about 91% of P was removed after operating 180 days, while generating power output of 48 A/m 2 . Unlike other techniques, MFCs utilize bacteria that act as micro-reactors and allow substrates to be oxidized completely. The Earth’s tiniest inhabitants can efficiently transform the chemical energy of organic matter in unused wastewater either into hydrogen gas or electricity. This facilitates wastewater treatment plants powering themselves in daily operation or selling electricity on the market. This MFC technology radically changes how to treat wastewater universally. By exploring this direction along the water–energy–food nexus, MFC technology could transform wastewater treatment plants into a key sustainability tool in the energy sector. This suggests that MFCs provide a practical solution that addresses the need of global society for clean water and electricity simultaneously.

Suggested Citation

  • Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan & Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman & Xue Liang & Muhammad Ayub & Hui Hwang Goh & Tutuk Djoko Kusworo & Ayesha Mohyuddin & Kit Wayne Chew, 2022. "Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC): A Potential Game-Changer in Renewable Energy Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-20, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:24:p:16847-:d:1004692
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hui Hwang Goh & Gumeng Peng & Dongdong Zhang & Wei Dai & Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan & Kai Chen Goh & Chin Leei Cham, 2022. "A New Wind Speed Scenario Generation Method Based on Principal Component and R-Vine Copula Theories," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-21, April.
    2. Almatouq, A. & Babatunde, A.O., 2018. "Identifying optimized conditions for concurrent electricity production and phosphorus recovery in a mediator-less dual chamber microbial fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 230(C), pages 122-134.
    3. Li, Ming & Zhou, Minghua & Tian, Xiaoyu & Tan, Chaolin & Gu, Tingyue, 2021. "Enhanced bioenergy recovery and nutrient removal from swine wastewater using an airlift-type photosynthetic microbial fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    4. Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan & Xue Liang & Elizabeth O’Callaghan & Huihwang Goh & Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman & Ram Avtar & Tutuk Djoko Kusworo, 2022. "Transformation of Solid Waste Management in China: Moving towards Sustainability through Digitalization-Based Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-15, February.
    5. Hui Hwang Goh & Ling Liao & Dongdong Zhang & Wei Dai & Chee Shen Lim & Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan & Kai Chen Goh & Chin Leei Cham, 2022. "Denoising Transient Power Quality Disturbances Using an Improved Adaptive Wavelet Threshold Method Based on Energy Optimization," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-21, April.
    6. Hui Hwang Goh & Lian Zong & Dongdong Zhang & Wei Dai & Chee Shen Lim & Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan & Kai Chen Goh, 2022. "Orderly Charging Strategy Based on Optimal Time of Use Price Demand Response of Electric Vehicles in Distribution Network," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-25, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Wajad Ulfat & Ayesha Mohyuddin & Muhammad Amjad & Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan & Beenish Mujahid & Sohail Nadeem & Mohsin Javed & Adnan Amjad & Abdul Qayyum Ashraf & Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman & Sadaful H, 2023. "Reuse of Buffing Dust-Laden Tanning Waste Hybridized with Poly- Styrene for Fabrication of Thermal Insulation Materials," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-12, January.

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