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Using dual chamber microbial fuel cells for coupled microplastic biodegradation and bioelectricity production: assessing the effect of substrate
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Researchers investigated using dual-chamber microbial fuel cells to simultaneously biodegrade PET microplastics and generate bioelectricity. The study found that microbial consortia in the fuel cell setup could break down microplastics while producing usable electrical energy, offering a potentially sustainable approach to microplastic remediation in wastewater treatment.
BACKGROUND: Use of plastics has increased manifold over the last 50 years. Regrettably, their fragmentation into microplastics (MPs) (≤ 5 mm) created environmental and human health concerns. Traditional methods of MPs removal are limited by high energy requirements, high costs, and the use of chemical reagents. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) provide a sustainable solution for treating wastewater containing MPs while simultaneously generating bioelectricity. RESULTS: This study investigated the potential of a microbial consortium in an MFC setup to remediate polyethylene terephthalate microplastics (PET-MPs) from a synthetic wastewater while generating electricity. Electrochemical process, substrate functionality (i.e., glucose and acetate), and microplastic degradation were tracked. Biodegradation effectiveness was evaluated using microscopic observations, microbial growth, and CO release. The results indicated 21.4% ± 2% biodegradation of PET-MPs, with a maximum CO release of 450 ± 173.9 ppm. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform spectroscopy validated the result, showing structural impairment and disruption of the MP ester functions. Acetate increased degradation by 32% ± 2%, whereas glucose increased it marginally by 22% ± 2%. Maximum power density with acetate was 8.58 mW/m², significantly higher than that generated with PET-MPs alone (0.343 mW/m²; p < 0.05), and more than 25% COD reduction in MFCs demonstrated the potential of the systems for wastewater treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This work corroborates the feasibility of applying microbial fuel cells as a green technology solution for microplastic alleviation by examining microplastic degradation processes, substrate applications for degradation effectiveness, and their superiority over conventional removal methods.
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The Exploitation of Single-Chambered Microbial Fuel Cells for PET Removal in Water
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Researchers investigated microbial fuel cells for simultaneous PET degradation and electricity generation, finding that co-cultures of Ideonella sakaiensis with either Geobacter sulfurreducens or activated sludge in single-chamber systems achieved measurable reductions in PET particle size and mass while producing bioelectricity.
Biodegradation of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) microplastics in a Microbial Fuel Cell.
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Lab tests used special bacteria in devices called microbial fuel cells to break down PET plastic particles while generating small amounts of electricity. Ideonella sakaiensis bacteria broke down 35% of the plastic alone, Shewanella oneidensis broke down 9%, and combining both bacteria types reduced both plastic breakdown and electricity output compared to using either alone.
Microbial Fuel Cells as a Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Technology for Microplastic Degradation in Wastewater: A Future Perspective
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Researchers reviewed microbial fuel cells as a dual-purpose platform for microplastic degradation and bioelectricity generation, finding that plastic-degrading bacteria coupled with electro-Fenton oxidation can break down polyethylene, PET, polystyrene, and other common plastics while offering lower operational costs than conventional treatment technologies.
Evaluating Microplastic Effects on Performance and Electrochemistry of Microbial Fuel Cells for Wastewater Treatment
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Researchers evaluated how microplastics affect the performance of microbial fuel cells used for wastewater treatment. They found that low concentrations of microplastics actually improved chemical oxygen demand reduction and power production compared to wastewater without microplastics. However, at higher concentrations the beneficial effects diminished, suggesting that microplastic levels in wastewater could influence the efficiency of bioelectrochemical treatment systems.
Investigation of the influence of polystyrene microplastics in wastewater on anode biofilm viability and electron transfer in microbial fuel cells performance
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Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics in wastewater reduce the electricity-generating ability of microbial fuel cells — devices that use bacteria to turn waste into power — by disrupting the bacterial biofilms that transfer electrons to electrodes. Carbon-based electrodes were more resistant to microplastic interference than metal ones, suggesting material choice matters when designing systems treating microplastic-contaminated water.
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