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The microbial desalination cell (MDC) is a bio-electrochemical system that exhibits the ability to oxidize organic compounds, produce energy, and decrease the saline concentrations within the desalination chamber. The selective removal of ions from the desalination chamber is significantly influenced by the anion and cation exchange membranes. In this study, a three-chamber microbial desalination cell was developed to treat seawater using a synthesize Fe3O4 magnetite nanoparticle (MNP)-modified anode. The impact of different performance parameters, such as temperature, pH, and concentrations of NPs, has been investigated in order to assess the performance of three-chamber MDCs in terms of energy recovery and salt removal. The evaluation criteria of the system included multiple factors such as chemical oxygen demand (COD), Coulombic efficiency (CE), desalination efficiency, as well as system aspects including voltage generation and power density. The highest COD% removal efficiency was 74% at 37 °C, pH = 7, and 30 g/L salt concentration with an optimized NPs concentration of 2.0 mg/cm2 impregnated on anode. The maximum Coulombic efficiency was 10.3% with the maximum power density of 4.3 W/m3. The effect of the nanoparticle concentration impregnated on the anode was clarified by the primary factor of analysis. This research has revealed consistent patterns in the enhancement of voltage generation, COD, and Coulombic efficiencies when incorporating higher concentrations of nanoparticles on the anode at a certain point.

Considering the complexity associated with bioelectrochemical processes, the performance of a microbial fuel cell (MFC) is governed by input operating parameters. For scaled-up applications, a MFC system needs to be modeled from engineering perspectives in terms of optimum operating conditions to get higher performance and energy recovery. Several conceptual numerical models to advanced computational simulation approaches have been developed to represent simple-form of a complex MFC system. Application of mathematical and computation models are explored to establish the relationship between operating input-variables and power output. The present review discusses about the complexity of system, modeling strategies used and reality of such modeling for scaling-up applications of MFCs. Additionally, the selection of an appropriate mathematical model reduces the computational duration and provides better understanding of the system process. It also explores the possibility and progress towards commercialization of MFCs and thus the need of development of model-based optimization and process-control approaches.

Three different approaches were employed to improve single chambered microbial fuel cell (sMFC) performance using Shewanella putrefaciens as biocatalyst. Taguchi design was used to identify the key process parameter (anolyte concentration, CaCl₂ and initial anolyte pH) for maximization of volumetric power. Supplementation of CaCl₂ was found most significant and maximum power density of 4.92 W/m(3) was achieved. In subsequent approaches, effect on power output by riboflavin supplementation to anolyte and anode surface modification using nano-hematite (Fe₂O₃) was observed. Volumetric power density was increased by 44% with addition of 100 nM riboflavin to anolyte while with 0.8 mg/cm(2) nano-Fe₂O₃ impregnated anode power density and columbic efficiency increased by 40% and 33% respectively. Cyclic voltammetry revealed improvement in electrochemical activity of Shewanella with nano-Fe₂O₃ loading and electrochemical impedance depicted inverse relationship between charge transfer resistance and nano-Fe₂O₃ loading. This study suggests anodic improvement strategies for maximization of power output.

Microbial carbon capture cells (MCCs) were constructed with cyanobacteria growing in a photo biocathode in dual-chambered flat plate mediator-less MFCs separated by an anion exchange membrane from the anode compartment containing Shewanella putrefaciens. The performance of the MCC with Anabaena sparged with CO(2)-air mixture was compared with that of a conventional cathode sparged with air only. The power densities achieved were 57.8 mW/m(2) for Anabaena sparged with a CO(2)-air mixture, 39.2 mW/m(2) for CO(2)-air mixture sparging only, 29.7 mW/m(2) for Anabaena sparged with air, and 19.6 mW/m(2) for air sparging only. The pH of the cathode containing Anabaena gradually increased from 7 to 9.12 and power generation decreased from 34.7 to 23.8 mW/m(2) 17 due to pH imbalance associated voltage losses without CO(2)-air mixture sparging. Sparging with a 5% CO(2)-air mixture produced maximum power of 100.1 mW/m(2). In addition, the power density of MCC increased by 31% when nitrate was added into the catholyte.

Manganese cobaltite nanorods (MnCo2O4 NRs) were prepared and tested as potential air-cathode catalyst for the single-chambered microbial fuel cells (sMFC). The power generation of sMFC increases with MnCo2O4 NRs loading to the cathode. The Polypyrrole (PPy) and Vulcan XC were used as conducting support to the MnCo2O4 NRs to form composites either by in situ or by mechanical mixing in the cathode fabrication. The cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry and electrochemical impedance studies reveal that the in situ-MnCo2O4 NRs/PPy composite has higher catalytic activity than that of mechanically mixed-MnCo2O4NRs/PPy composite because of higher interfacial contact between MnCo2O4 NRs and PPy. The maximum volumetric power density with in situ-MnCo2O4 NRs/PPy, mechanically mixed-MnCo2O4 NRs/PPy, MnCo2O4 NRs/Vulcan XC and catalyst-free (only Vulcan XC) cathode was measured to be 6.11, 5.05, 4.22, and 1.77 W/m(3), respectively, in the sMFC. This suggests that PPy is not only a better conducting support than that of conventionally used Vulcan XC but also the cathode composite fabrication process is important for enhanced performance. The synergetic effect of MnCo2O4 NRs and PPy was found to play an important role for the improved energy recovery and it could be applied as an efficient and inexpensive cathode catalyst for the sMFC.

The performance of the cathodic electron acceptors (CEA) used in the two-chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC) was in the following order: potassium permanganate (1.11V; 116.2 mW/m(2))>potassium persulfate (1.10 V; 101.7 mW/m(2))>potassium dichromate, K(2)Cr(2)O(7) (0.76 V; 45.9 mW/m(2))>potassium ferricyanide (0.78 V; 40.6 mW/m(2)). Different operational parameters were considered to find out the performance of the MFC like initial pH in aqueous solutions, concentrations of the electron acceptors, phosphate buffer and aeration. Potassium persulfate was found to be more suitable out of the four electron acceptors which had a higher open circuit potential (OCP) but sustained the voltage for a much longer period than permanganate. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction of 59% was achieved using 10mM persulfate in a batch process. RALEX™ AEM-PES, an anion exchange membrane (AEM), performed better in terms of power density and OCP in comparison to Nafion®117 Cation Exchange Membrane (CEM).

The sustainable development of human society in today's high-tech world depends on some form of eco-friendly energy source because existing technologies cannot keep up with the rapid population expansion and the vast amounts of wastewater that result from human activity. A green technology called a microbial fuel cell (MFC) focuses on using biodegradable trash as a substrate to harness the power of bacteria to produce bioenergy. Production of bioenergy and wastewater treatment are the two main uses of MFC. MFCs have also been used in biosensors, water desalination, polluted soil remediation, and the manufacture of chemicals like methane and formate. MFC-based biosensors have gained a lot of attention in the last few decades due to their straightforward operating principle and long-term viability, with a wide range of applications including bioenergy production, treatment of industrial and domestic wastewater, biological oxygen demand, toxicity detection, microbial activity detection, and air quality monitoring, etc. This review focuses on several MFC types and their functions, including the detection of microbial activity.