skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Microbial fuel cells

Abstract

A microbial fuel cell includes an anode compartment with an anode and an anode biocatalyst and a cathode compartment with a cathode and a cathode biocatalyst, with a membrane positioned between the anode compartment and the cathode compartment, and an electrical pathway between the anode and the cathode. The anode biocatalyst is capable of catalyzing oxidation of an organic substance, and the cathode biocatalyst is capable of catalyzing reduction of an inorganic substance. The reduced organic substance can form a precipitate, thereby removing the inorganic substance from solution. In some cases, the anode biocatalyst is capable of catalyzing oxidation of an inorganic substance, and the cathode biocatalyst is capable of catalyzing reduction of an organic or inorganic substance.

Inventors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
DOESC (USDOE Office of Science (SC) (United States))
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1083797
Patent Number(s):
8,415,037
Application Number:
12/114,097
Assignee:
University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)
DOE Contract Number:  
58486720
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION

Citation Formats

Nealson, Kenneth H, Pirbazari, Massoud, and Hsu, Lewis. Microbial fuel cells. United States: N. p., 2013. Web.
Nealson, Kenneth H, Pirbazari, Massoud, & Hsu, Lewis. Microbial fuel cells. United States.
Nealson, Kenneth H, Pirbazari, Massoud, and Hsu, Lewis. 2013. "Microbial fuel cells". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1083797.
@article{osti_1083797,
title = {Microbial fuel cells},
author = {Nealson, Kenneth H and Pirbazari, Massoud and Hsu, Lewis},
abstractNote = {A microbial fuel cell includes an anode compartment with an anode and an anode biocatalyst and a cathode compartment with a cathode and a cathode biocatalyst, with a membrane positioned between the anode compartment and the cathode compartment, and an electrical pathway between the anode and the cathode. The anode biocatalyst is capable of catalyzing oxidation of an organic substance, and the cathode biocatalyst is capable of catalyzing reduction of an inorganic substance. The reduced organic substance can form a precipitate, thereby removing the inorganic substance from solution. In some cases, the anode biocatalyst is capable of catalyzing oxidation of an inorganic substance, and the cathode biocatalyst is capable of catalyzing reduction of an organic or inorganic substance.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1083797}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Apr 09 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Tue Apr 09 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Plant/microbe cooperation for electricity generation in a rice paddy field
journal, May 2008


Anodic electron transfer mechanisms in microbial fuel cells and their energy efficiency
journal, January 2007


Layered Microbial Communities and the Search for Life in the Universe
journal, September 2003


New concepts of microbial treatment processes for the nitrogen removal in wastewater
journal, October 2003


Electricity generation from swine wastewater using microbial fuel cells
journal, December 2005


Device for Efficient, Cost-Effective Conversion of Aquatic Biomass to Fuels and Electricity
patent-application, September 2011


The sequencing batch reactor as a powerful tool for the study of slowly growing anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing microorganisms
journal, November 1998


Graphite electrodes as electron donors for anaerobic respiration
journal, June 2004


Micromachined microbial and photosynthetic fuel cells
journal, October 2006


Global Molecular and Morphological Effects of 24-Hour Chromium(VI) Exposure on Shewanella oneidensis MR-1
journal, September 2006


An Upflow Microbial Fuel Cell with an Interior Cathode:  Assessment of the Internal Resistance by Impedance Spectroscopy
journal, September 2006


In Situ Electrooxidation of Photobiological Hydrogen in a Photobioelectrochemical Fuel Cell Based on Rhodobacter sphaeroides
journal, August 2005


Microbial Behavior in a Heterogeneous World
journal, May 2002


Conduction-based modeling of the biofilm anode of a microbial fuel cell
journal, December 2007


Microbial ecology meets electrochemistry: electricity-driven and driving communities
journal, May 2007


Production of N2 through Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation Coupled to Nitrate Reduction in Marine Sediments
journal, March 2002


Finite element modeling of Cr(VI) reduction by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 employing the dual-enzyme kinetic model
journal, December 2005


Dissimilatory Metal Reduction
journal, October 1993


Modelling of a microbial fuel cell process
journal, August 1995


Increased power production from a sediment microbial fuel cell with a rotating cathode
journal, June 2007


Implantable, miniaturized microbial fuel cell
patent, January 2007


Remediation and Recovery of Uranium from Contaminated Subsurface Environments with Electrodes
journal, November 2005


Sequential Nitrification and Denitrification in a Divided Cell Attached Growth Bioelectrochemical Reactor
journal, July 2005


Effects of light on the electrical output of bioelectrochemical fuel-cells containing Anabaena variabilis M-2: Mechanism of the post-illumination burst
journal, January 1988


Biological nitrogen removal from wastewater
book, January 1994


Anaerobic ammonia oxidation by cell-free extracts of Nitrosomonas eutropha
journal, January 1998


Global Transcriptional Profiling of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 during Cr(VI) and U(VI) Reduction
journal, November 2005


A novel ecological role of the Firmicutes identified in thermophilic microbial fuel cells
journal, September 2008


Microbial fuel cells for simultaneous carbon and nitrogen removal
journal, June 2008


Ecological and toxicological effects of inorganic nitrogen pollution in aquatic ecosystems: A global assessment
journal, August 2006


Electrokinetic remediation: Basics and technology status
journal, February 1995


Development of a solar-powered microbial fuel cell
journal, March 2008


Electricity Generation by Rhodopseudomonas palustris DX-1
journal, June 2008


Modeling biofilm kinetics for a low-loaded expanded-bed anaerobic reactor
journal, July 1987


Microbial Phenazine Production Enhances Electron Transfer in Biofuel Cells
journal, May 2005


Mediator-less biofuel cell
patent, November 1999


Microbial Fuel Cells—Challenges and Applications
journal, September 2006


Spectrophotometric Determination of Nitrate with a Single Reagent
journal, January 2003


Peer Reviewed: Extracting Hydrogen and Electricity from Renewable Resources
journal, May 2004


Electricity Production Coupled to Ammonium in a Microbial Fuel Cell
journal, March 2009


Kinetics of consumption of fermentation products by anode-respiring bacteria
journal, October 2007


Manganese binding and oxidation by spores of a marine bacillus.
journal, January 1982


Uranium Reoxidation in Previously Bioreduced Sediment by Dissolved Oxygen and Nitrate
journal, July 2007


Increased performance of single-chamber microbial fuel cells using an improved cathode structure
journal, March 2006


Microbial Fuel Cells Generating Electricity from Rhizodeposits of Rice Plants
journal, April 2008


The neighbor-joining method: a new method for reconstructing phylogenetic trees.
journal, July 1987


Enrichment of microbial community generating electricity using a fuel-cell-type electrochemical cell
journal, February 2004


Properties and performance of microorganisms in chemostat culture
journal, October 1981


Reduction kinetics of Fe(III), Co(III), U(VI), Cr(VI), and Tc(VII) in cultures of dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria
journal, October 2002


Microbial Fuel Cells:  Methodology and Technology
journal, September 2006


Biological Denitrification in Microbial Fuel Cells
journal, May 2007


Reduction of Cr(6+) to Cr(3+) in a Packed‱Bed Bioreactor
journal, March 1997


Application of Bacterial Biocathodes in Microbial Fuel Cells
journal, October 2006


Cr(VI) Reduction by Sulfidogenic and Nonsulfidogenic Microbial Consortia
journal, March 2003


Power Generation Using Different Cation, Anion, and Ultrafiltration Membranes in Microbial Fuel Cells
journal, February 2007


Model experiments on the microbial removal of chromium from contaminated groundwater
journal, March 2003


Wireless Sensors Powered by Microbial Fuel Cells
journal, June 2005


Production of bioenergy and biochemicals from industrial and agricultural wastewater
journal, September 2004


Biofuel cells and their development
journal, May 2006


Principles of electrokinetic remediation
journal, December 1993


Electricity generation by an enriched phototrophic consortium in a microbial fuel cell
journal, September 2008


Procedure for Determining Maximum Sustainable Power Generated by Microbial Fuel Cells
journal, February 2006


A miniature microbial fuel cell operating with an aerobic anode chamber
journal, March 2007


Harvesting Energy from the Marine Sediment−Water Interface
journal, January 2001


Analysis of ammonia loss mechanisms in microbial fuel cells treating animal wastewater
journal, January 2008


Reproduction and metabolism at - 10oC of bacteria isolated from Siberian permafrost
journal, April 2003


Preliminary Experiments on a Microbial Fuel Cell
journal, August 1962


Power Generation in Fed-Batch Microbial Fuel Cells as a Function of Ionic Strength, Temperature, and Reactor Configuration
journal, July 2005


The effect of U(VI) bioreduction kinetics on subsequent reoxidation of biogenic U(IV)
journal, October 2007


Structure and development of a benthic marine microbial mat
journal, April 1985


Effects of Membrane Cation Transport on pH and Microbial Fuel Cell Performance
journal, September 2006


Microbiology and application of the anaerobic ammonium oxidation (‘anammox’) process
journal, June 2001


Cathodic oxygen reduction catalyzed by bacteria in microbial fuel cells
journal, February 2008


Electricity Generation from Artificial Wastewater Using an Upflow Microbial Fuel Cell
journal, July 2005


Anaerobic Oxidation of Arsenite in Mono Lake Water and by a Facultative, Arsenite-Oxidizing Chemoautotroph, Strain MLHE-1
journal, October 2002


Current Production and Metal Oxide Reduction by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 Wild Type and Mutants
journal, July 2007


The SHARON®-Anammox® process for treatment of ammonium rich wastewater
journal, July 2001


Comparative Kinetics of Bacterial Reduction of Chromium
journal, May 1998


Bug juice: harvesting electricity with microorganisms
journal, July 2006


Improved performances of E. coli-catalyzed microbial fuel cells with composite graphite/PTFE anodes
journal, March 2007


Improved fuel cell and electrode designs for producing electricity from microbial degradation
journal, December 2002


Competition for Ammonium between Nitrifying and Heterotrophic Bacteria in Dual Energy-Limited Chemostats
journal, January 1991


Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis in marine microbial ecology
book, January 2001


Green electricity production with living plants and bacteria in a fuel cell
journal, July 2008

  • Strik, David P. B. T. B.; Hamelers (Bert), H. V. M.; Snel, Jan F. H.
  • International Journal of Energy Research, Vol. 32, Issue 9
  • https://doi.org/10.1002/er.1397

A mediator-less microbial fuel cell using a metal reducing bacterium, Shewanella putrefaciens
journal, February 2002


"Living electrode" as a long-lived photoconverter for biophotolysis of water
journal, May 1980


Renewable sustainable biocatalyzed electricity production in a photosynthetic algal microbial fuel cell (PAMFC)
journal, December 2008


Bioelectrochemical fuel-cells operated by the cyanobacterium, Anabaena variabilis
journal, September 1985


Microbial reduction of uranium
journal, April 1991


Sulfate-reducing bacterium grows with Cr(VI), U(VI), Mn(IV), and Fe(III) as electron acceptors
journal, May 1998


The continuously fed batch reactor for measuring microbial growth rates
journal, December 1983


Bacterial Communities on Electron-Beam Pt-Deposited Electrodes in a Mediator-Less Microbial Fuel Cell
journal, July 2008


Ecosystem respiration depends strongly on photosynthesis in a temperate heath
journal, June 2007


Integrated In Situ Soil Remediation Technology: The Lasagna Process
journal, October 1995


Electricity generation from cysteine in a microbial fuel cell
journal, March 2005


Dissolution and Reduction of Magnetite by Bacteria
journal, October 1995


Microbial fuel cells: novel biotechnology for energy generation
journal, June 2005