A review of the general microbial fuel cell: Recent advances in substrates
Abstract
Over the past two decades, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have gained attention because they can directly convert chemical energy from organic compounds to bioelectricity. Using MFCs, biomass energy can be directly harvested in the form of electricity, which is the most convenient, widely available, and clean energy. Therefore, MFCs are considered to be another promising way to harness sustainable energy in biomass and add a new dimension to the biomass energy industry. Many substrates have been studied for microbial nourishment. These include a variety of artificial and natural wastewater and lignocellulosic biomass. Among factors essential for long-term stability in MFCs, the substrate is the most challenging. Studies have shown that an unstable substrate directly harms the performance of MFCs. This review discusses the effect of substrates on the microbial community. Furthermore, it provides updates on recent advances in improving MFC technology, particularly the different substrates discovered in MFCs to date, power generation efficiency, and potential substrates in the future.