Microbial fuel cell compared to a chemostat
Microbial fuel cell compared to a chemostat
Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) represent a green and sustainable energy conversion system that integrate bacterial biofilms within an electrochemical two-electrode set-up to produce electricity from organic waste. In this review, we focus on a novel exploratory model, regarding “thin” biofilms forming on highly perfusable (non-diffusible) anodes in small-scale, continuous flow MFCs due to the unique properties of the electroactive biofilm. We discuss how this type of MFC can behave as a chemostat in fulfilling common properties including steady state growth and multiple steady states within the limit of biological physicochemical conditions imposed by the external environment. With continuous steady state growth, there is also continuous metabolic rate and continuous electrical power production, which like the chemostat can be controlled. The model suggests that in addition to controlling growth rate and power output by changing the external resistive load, it will be possible instead to change the flow rate/dilution rate.
MFC, Chemostat, Steady state, Dilution rate, Growth rate, Electrical power
Greenman, John
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Mendis, Buddhi Arjuna
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Gajda, Iwona
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Ieropoulos, Ioannis A.
6c580270-3e08-430a-9f49-7fbe869daf13
17 February 2022
Greenman, John
eb3d9b82-7cac-4442-9301-f34884ae4a16
Mendis, Buddhi Arjuna
2ef1bea2-1e3f-4d35-877f-117b99226feb
Gajda, Iwona
943dd6bd-524b-4c7b-b794-dec5ee8014b7
Ieropoulos, Ioannis A.
6c580270-3e08-430a-9f49-7fbe869daf13
Greenman, John, Mendis, Buddhi Arjuna, Gajda, Iwona and Ieropoulos, Ioannis A.
(2022)
Microbial fuel cell compared to a chemostat.
Chemosphere, 296, [133967].
(doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133967).
Abstract
Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) represent a green and sustainable energy conversion system that integrate bacterial biofilms within an electrochemical two-electrode set-up to produce electricity from organic waste. In this review, we focus on a novel exploratory model, regarding “thin” biofilms forming on highly perfusable (non-diffusible) anodes in small-scale, continuous flow MFCs due to the unique properties of the electroactive biofilm. We discuss how this type of MFC can behave as a chemostat in fulfilling common properties including steady state growth and multiple steady states within the limit of biological physicochemical conditions imposed by the external environment. With continuous steady state growth, there is also continuous metabolic rate and continuous electrical power production, which like the chemostat can be controlled. The model suggests that in addition to controlling growth rate and power output by changing the external resistive load, it will be possible instead to change the flow rate/dilution rate.
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Accepted/In Press date: 11 February 2022
e-pub ahead of print date: 14 February 2022
Published date: 17 February 2022
Keywords:
MFC, Chemostat, Steady state, Dilution rate, Growth rate, Electrical power
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 503243
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/503243
ISSN: 1879-1298
PURE UUID: 8811960d-f662-40bf-8195-1797b4a07713
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Date deposited: 25 Jul 2025 16:30
Last modified: 22 Aug 2025 02:34
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Contributors
Author:
John Greenman
Author:
Buddhi Arjuna Mendis
Author:
Iwona Gajda
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