Microbial Fuel Cells: Technological Advances in Wastewater Treatment and Energy Recovery, and Prospects for Scale-up

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jlsa.202607204

Author(s)

Jingze Zhu

Affiliation(s)

Water Resources and Electric Power, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China *Corresponding Author.

Abstract

Currently, many regions worldwide are facing dual pressures of water scarcity and energy transition, making the search for efficient and low-carbon wastewater treatment technologies particularly urgent. Driven by this demand, Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs), a green bioelectrochemical technology, have garnered increasing research attention due to their ability to integrate wastewater purification with electricity recovery. However, their practical application is hindered by challenges such as relatively low energy conversion efficiency and power output. This paper provides a detailed review of recent research progress in MFCs, with a systematic examination of system configuration designs (including dual-chamber, single-chamber, up-flow, and stacked configurations), innovations in core components (anode, cathode, and membrane materials), and emerging coupled systems (e.g., MFC-constructed wetlands, MFC-membrane bioreactors, and MFC-microbial electrolysis cells). Key findings from representative studies are highlighted: dual-chamber MFCs have achieved a maximum power density of 6.2 W/m³ in dye wastewater treatment; single-chamber MFCs incorporating TiO₂ photoanodes reached a current density of 4571.43 mA/m²; up-flow MFCs demonstrated a COD removal rate of 95.5% for azo dye wastewater; and stacked MFCs with series-parallel hybrid connections yielded a peak power density of 2.451 W/m³. Recent material innovations-such as ternary transition metal sulfides and MXene-based composites-have enhanced anode performance, boosting power output by up to 54.4% compared to conventional carbon-based anodes. Modified clay-based membranes have also been developed as low-cost alternatives to Nafion, achieving power densities of 2.17 W/m³ at significantly reduced cost. Future research directions are proposed, aiming to improve MFC performance, enhance energy recovery from various wastewaters, and facilitate the commercialization and large-scale application of MFC technology.

Keywords

Microbial Fuel Cell; Wastewater Treatment; Energy Recovery; System Configuration; Electrode Materials; Coupled Processes

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