Progressive Transformation of Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) to Sediment MFCs, Plant MFCs, and Constructed Wetland Integrated MFCs

Abstract

The most recognized global concerns of the modern era revolve around the escalation of energy demand and pollution. It is imperative to thoroughly investigate and harness various technological approaches to effectively address these pressing issues. In recent years, microbial fuel cells (MFCs), also known as one of the members of the bioelectrochemical systems (BES) family, have been explored as a prominent solution to waste treatment and energy generation. Over the years, various versions of traditional MFCs have been developed based on the fuel substrate or surrounding environment, such as when MFCs are applied to natural ecosystems to harvest energy from water bodies, then they are called sediment MFCs (S-MFCs), while utilizing plant roots as substrate in MFCs, then those systems are called plant MFCs (P-MFCs). Similarly, when MFC components are merged with constructed wetlands (CW), the whole system is named CW-MFC. This chapter discusses the basic differences in S-MFC, P-MFC, and CW-MFC configurations and their development over time, focusing on power generation performance, pollutant treatment efficiency, fusion with other technologies, and potential applications. This chapter further discusses the challenges associated with these technologies and their prospects. © 2024 WILEY-VCH GmbH. All rights reserved.