Bioelectricity Production Using Microbial Fuel Cell : A Review

Abstract

The conventional energy production processes practiced today which requires combustion of polluting fossil fuels are not considered to be environmental friendly, recently continuous research is going on for development of new alternate green energy resources. In this direction, biohydrogen production by anaerobic fermentation and bioelectricity generation through microbial fuels cells (MFCs) using various organic substrates consider as an innovative development. A MFC converts energy, available in a bioconvertible substrate, directly into electricity. This can be achieved when bacteria switch from the natural electron acceptor, such as oxygen or nitrate, to an insoluble acceptor, such as the MFC anode. The present review paper covers various aspects for the sustainable production of bioelectricity using MFCs which function on different carbohydrates as well as complex substrates such as compounds present in wastewater.