Simultaneous Treatment of Wastewater with Energy Recovery: A Microbial Fuel Cell Approach

The world is at a stage where renewable energy is on the brink of exhaustion and the demand for power is on the rise. The call of the hour is not only to find out about alternative power sources but also to commercialize it. One of the daily processes that requires an enormous amount of power and yet is of utmost importance is wastewater treatment. The use of microbes for bioremediation is a well-proven scientific phenomenon. With the knowledge that microbes could also generate electricity is something that could be clubbed with bioremediation in systems known as microbial fuel cells (MFCs). It is composed of an anode where oxidation goes on and a cathode where reduction takes place. The architecture of the microbial fuel cell (MFC) is contingent upon the specific microbial species employed, the origin of the wastewater and consequently, the nature of the reaction taking place within it. This chapter discusses the design of MFCs and the importance of microbes which can simultaneously degrade pollutants and thereby generate power from the waste. Various case studies of researches showing the extent of its applicability and density of electricity generation have been discussed. The advantages of using MFC as well as their current limitations have been also discussed. Overall, the MFC technology is promising due to its sustainability, carbon neutrality and ability to generate power which could make wastewater treatment plants independent units without the requirement for external power. More research data is required to make it scalable to industrial level and make it a viable application for a sustainable future.