137
Wastewater contains high content of carbohydrates, organic matter, and nutrients, which can be suitable substrate for microbial oxidation in anodic chamber.
Some biomass needs pretreatment method so that it can be easily biodegraded in MFC.
3 Plant Microbial Fuel Cell
During the photosynthesis process, plants such as trees, shrubs, and algae utilize
solar energy and turn it into chemical energy. During photosynthesis, light energy
transfers electrons from water to produce carbohydrates. Thus carbon dioxide is
reduced along with oxidation of water to release oxygen. Thus, oxygen- and energyrich organic carbohydrate molecules produced during photosynthesis serve as counterbalance reaction for CO 2 respiration by all organisms and oxygen release during
photosynthesis.
In plant MFC (PMFC), several small growing plants such as algae, rice plant,
water hyacinth, and other shrubs are used for photosynthesis process. In MFC, oxygen serves as a terminal electron acceptor released by plants for cathodic reduction.
Also, utilization of carbon dioxide by the plants resulted into carbohydrate synthesis
which serves as organic matter for microbial oxidation in anodic processes (Fig. 1).
Some plant species have properties of adsorption of heavy metals and other toxic
elements from wastewater and hence are used for heavy metal removal in MFC. Thus,
simultaneous organic matter removal, heavy metal removal, and toxicity reduction
along with simultaneous electricity generation can be achieved in plant MFC. Also
carbon sequestration from industrial plant and need of external aeration can be
reduced with such advanced application of MFC technology.
Similar to conventional MFC, the performance of plant MFC is governed by
various parameters such as selection of plant species, rhizodeposits, design of MFC,
electrode properties, inoculum characteristics, wastewater properties, etc. Several
design variations and electrode orientations have been adopted while taking into
account the root zone depth of plant as well as creating anoxic-oxic zone separation.
4 Factors Governing Performance of Plant MFC
Plant MFC generally combines the principle of plant photosynthesis and bioelectrochemical system, which is dependent on microbial, electrochemical, material, environmental, and engineering parameters. Hence, performance of plant MFC is
governed by several constraints such as plant species, operating conditions, wastewater characteristics, inoculum properties, and design aspects. However, operating
conditions need to be optimized for getting better performance from plant MFC in
terms of power generation and wastewater treatment. Table 1 summarizes the performance of plant MFCs with variations in governing parameters.
Plant Microbial Fuel Cell as a Biomass Conversion Technology for Sustainable…
Wastewater contains high content of carbohydrates, organic matter, and nutrients, which can be suitable substrate for microbial oxidation in anodic chamber.
Some biomass needs pretreatment method so that it can be easily biodegraded in MFC.
3 Plant Microbial Fuel Cell
During the photosynthesis process, plants such as trees, shrubs, and algae utilize
solar energy and turn it into chemical energy. During photosynthesis, light energy
transfers electrons from water to produce carbohydrates. Thus carbon dioxide is
reduced along with oxidation of water to release oxygen. Thus, oxygen- and energyrich organic carbohydrate molecules produced during photosynthesis serve as counterbalance reaction for CO 2 respiration by all organisms and oxygen release during
photosynthesis.
In plant MFC (PMFC), several small growing plants such as algae, rice plant,
water hyacinth, and other shrubs are used for photosynthesis process. In MFC, oxygen serves as a terminal electron acceptor released by plants for cathodic reduction.
Also, utilization of carbon dioxide by the plants resulted into carbohydrate synthesis
which serves as organic matter for microbial oxidation in anodic processes (Fig. 1).
Some plant species have properties of adsorption of heavy metals and other toxic
elements from wastewater and hence are used for heavy metal removal in MFC. Thus,
simultaneous organic matter removal, heavy metal removal, and toxicity reduction
along with simultaneous electricity generation can be achieved in plant MFC. Also
carbon sequestration from industrial plant and need of external aeration can be
reduced with such advanced application of MFC technology.
Similar to conventional MFC, the performance of plant MFC is governed by
various parameters such as selection of plant species, rhizodeposits, design of MFC,
electrode properties, inoculum characteristics, wastewater properties, etc. Several
design variations and electrode orientations have been adopted while taking into
account the root zone depth of plant as well as creating anoxic-oxic zone separation.
4 Factors Governing Performance of Plant MFC
Plant MFC generally combines the principle of plant photosynthesis and bioelectrochemical system, which is dependent on microbial, electrochemical, material, environmental, and engineering parameters. Hence, performance of plant MFC is
governed by several constraints such as plant species, operating conditions, wastewater characteristics, inoculum properties, and design aspects. However, operating
conditions need to be optimized for getting better performance from plant MFC in
terms of power generation and wastewater treatment. Table 1 summarizes the performance of plant MFCs with variations in governing parameters.
Plant Microbial Fuel Cell as a Biomass Conversion Technology for Sustainable…