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Microbial fuel cells for wastewater treatment: A comprehensive review of bioelectrochemical mechanisms, system design, and performance optimization.

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Title: Microbial fuel cells for wastewater treatment: A comprehensive review of bioelectrochemical mechanisms, system design, and performance optimization.
Authors: Kumar, Rohan1 (AUTHOR) 23D0283@iitb.ac.in, Banerji, Tuhin2,3 (AUTHOR)
Source: Biomass & Bioenergy. Jun2026, Vol. 209, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
Subjects: Microbial fuel cells, Wastewater treatment, Bioelectrochemistry, Process optimization, Systems design, Energy conversion, Electrochemical analysis, Bacteria
Abstract: Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) represent a promising eco-friendly technology for simultaneous wastewater treatment and energy recovery, harnessing microbial metabolism to oxidize organic pollutants while generating electricity. Reported COD removal efficiencies range from 10.2 % to 99 % (mean: 67.1 ± 26.5 %) across influent concentrations of 99–9600 mg/L (mean: 1685 mg/L), with optimal hydraulic retention times of 0.42–12 days (mode: ∼5 days). Peak voltages of 600–1000 mV and power densities up to 900 mW/m2 have been achieved, with >80 % COD removal corresponding to 800 mW/m2, confirming the synergy between treatment and energy recovery. Coulombic efficiency reaches 60–65 % at >40 % COD degradation but decreases at power densities >200 mW/m2, revealing trade-offs between energy recovery and output. Polarization analysis indicates activation losses <10 mA/m2, ohmic losses dominating between 10 and 1000 mA/m2, and concentration losses beyond 1000 mA/m2, underscoring the need for low-resistance, mass-transfer-optimized designs. Electroactive bacteria such as Geobacter sp. and Bacteroidetes sp. dominate MFC consortia, influenced by substrate characteristics. Innovations in catholytes, membranes, catalysts, and electrodes including ferricyanide, Nafion, carbon-based anodes, and doped cathodes—have improved performance but require cost and stability optimization for scale-up. By evaluating electrochemical parameters and wastewater treatment metrics, this review elucidates the key trade-offs and design strategies necessary to advance MFCs toward commercial-scale, energy recovering wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Biomass & Bioenergy is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
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Header DbId: egs
DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 192927400
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
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  Label: Title
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  Data: Microbial fuel cells for wastewater treatment: A comprehensive review of bioelectrochemical mechanisms, system design, and performance optimization.
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Microbial+fuel+cells%22&quot;&gt;Microbial fuel cells&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Wastewater+treatment%22&quot;&gt;Wastewater treatment&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Bioelectrochemistry%22&quot;&gt;Bioelectrochemistry&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Process+optimization%22&quot;&gt;Process optimization&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Systems+design%22&quot;&gt;Systems design&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Energy+conversion%22&quot;&gt;Energy conversion&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Electrochemical+analysis%22&quot;&gt;Electrochemical analysis&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Bacteria%22&quot;&gt;Bacteria&lt;/searchLink&gt;
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) represent a promising eco-friendly technology for simultaneous wastewater treatment and energy recovery, harnessing microbial metabolism to oxidize organic pollutants while generating electricity. Reported COD removal efficiencies range from 10.2 % to 99 % (mean: 67.1 &#177; 26.5 %) across influent concentrations of 99–9600 mg/L (mean: 1685 mg/L), with optimal hydraulic retention times of 0.42–12 days (mode: ∼5 days). Peak voltages of 600–1000 mV and power densities up to 900 mW/m2 have been achieved, with &gt;80 % COD removal corresponding to 800 mW/m2, confirming the synergy between treatment and energy recovery. Coulombic efficiency reaches 60–65 % at &gt;40 % COD degradation but decreases at power densities &gt;200 mW/m2, revealing trade-offs between energy recovery and output. Polarization analysis indicates activation losses &lt;10 mA/m2, ohmic losses dominating between 10 and 1000 mA/m2, and concentration losses beyond 1000 mA/m2, underscoring the need for low-resistance, mass-transfer-optimized designs. Electroactive bacteria such as Geobacter sp. and Bacteroidetes sp. dominate MFC consortia, influenced by substrate characteristics. Innovations in catholytes, membranes, catalysts, and electrodes including ferricyanide, Nafion, carbon-based anodes, and doped cathodes—have improved performance but require cost and stability optimization for scale-up. By evaluating electrochemical parameters and wastewater treatment metrics, this review elucidates the key trade-offs and design strategies necessary to advance MFCs toward commercial-scale, energy recovering wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: &lt;i&gt;Copyright of Biomass &amp; Bioenergy is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder&#39;s express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.&lt;/i&gt; (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=egs&AN=192927400
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2026.108938
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 1
        StartPage: N.PAG
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Microbial fuel cells
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Wastewater treatment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bioelectrochemistry
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Process optimization
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Systems design
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Energy conversion
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Electrochemical analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bacteria
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Microbial fuel cells for wastewater treatment: A comprehensive review of bioelectrochemical mechanisms, system design, and performance optimization.
        Type: main
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      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Kumar, Rohan
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Banerji, Tuhin
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 09619534
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            – Type: volume
              Value: 209
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Biomass & Bioenergy
              Type: main
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