Enhancement of biological oxygen demand detection with a microbial fuel cell using potassium permanganate as cathodic electron acceptor

Targeted Formation of Biofilms on the Surface of Graphite Electrodes as an Effective Approach to the Development of Biosensors for Early Warning Systems

Biofilms based on bacteria Pseudomonas veronii (Ps. veronii) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) and yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) were used for novel biosensor creation for rapid biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) monitoring. Based on the electrochemical measurement results, it was shown that the endogenous mediator in the matrix of E. coli and Ps. veronii biofilms and ferrocene form a two-mediator system that improves electron transport in the system. Biofilms based on Ps. veronii and E. coli had a high biotechnological potential for BOD assessment; bioreceptors based on such biofilms had high sensitivity (the lower limits of detectable BOD5 concentrations were 0.61 (Ps. veronii) and 0.87 (E. coli) mg/dm3) and high efficiency of analysis (a measurement time 5-10 min). The maximum biosensor response based on bacterial biofilms has been observed in the pH range of 6.6-7.2. The greatest protective effect was found for biofilms based on E. coli, which has high long-term stability (151 days for Ps. veronii and 163 days for E. coli). The results of the BOD5 analysis of water samples obtained using the developed biosensors had a high correlation with the results of the standard 5-day method (R2 = 0.9820, number of tested samples is 10 for Ps. veronii, and R2 = 0.9862, number of tested samples is 10 for E. coli). Thus, biosensors based on Ps. veronii biofilms and E. coli biofilms could be a novel analytical system to give early warnings of pollution.

Recent advances in microbial fuel cell-based self-powered biosensors: a comprehensive exploration of sensing strategies in both anode and cathode modes

With the rapid development of society, it is of paramount importance to expeditiously assess environmental pollution and provide early warning of toxicity risks. Microbial fuel cell-based self-powered biosensors (MFC-SPBs) have emerged as a pivotal technology, obviating the necessity for external power sources and aligning with the prevailing trends toward miniaturization and simplification in biosensor development. In this case, vigorous advancements in MFC-SPBs have been acquired in past years, irrespective of whether the target identification event transpires at the anode or cathode. The present article undertakes a comprehensive review of developed MFC-SPBs, categorizing them into substrate effect and microbial activity effect based on the nature of the target identification event. Furthermore, various enhancement strategies to improve the analytical performance like accuracy and sensitivity are also outlined, along with a discussion of future research trends and application prospects of MFC-SPBs for their better developments.

Microbial Fuel Cell-Based Organic Matter Sensors: Principles, Structures and Applications

Wastewater contains a significant quantity of organic matter, continuously causing environmental pollution. Timely and accurate detection of organic content in water can facilitate improved wastewater treatment and better protect the environment. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are increasingly recognized as valuable biological monitoring systems, due to their ability to swiftly detect organic indicators such as biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in water quality. Different types of MFC sensors are used for BOD and COD detection, each with unique features and benefits. This review focuses on different types of MFC sensors used for BOD and COD detection, discussing their benefits and structural optimization, as well as the influencing factors of MFC-based biomonitoring systems. Additionally, the challenges and prospects associated with the development of reliable MFC sensing systems are discussed.

The versatility of microbial fuel cells as tools for organic matter monitoring

Water monitoring and remediation require robust, low-cost, and reliable test systems that can couple with prompt treatment interventions. Organic matter (BOD, COD), toxicants, heavy metals, and other pollutants in water need to be regularly inspected. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have already gained popularity as BOD biomonitoring systems as these don't need an external transducer or power source. Moreover, these systems are cost-effective, compact, biodegradable, reusable, portable, and applicable for on-site measurements. MFCs truly stands out as online BOD measurement devices as they provide wide detection range (0-25 g/L), low response time (2-4 min) and longer stability in continuous operations (2-5 years) in a cost-effective approach. This review examines the benefits, kinds, performance metrics, and signal optimization of the current state-of-the-art of the BOD measurement, with detailed focus on MFC-based BOD biomonitoring systems. This review covers the important technological breakthroughs in practical applications with associated bottlenecks to develop reliable sensing systems.

Recent Implementations of Hydrogel-Based Microbial Electrochemical Technologies (METs) in Sensing Applications

Hydrogel materials have been used extensively in microbial electrochemical technology (MET) and sensor development due to their high biocompatibility and low toxicity. With an increasing demand for sensors across different sectors, it is crucial to understand the current state within the sectors of hydrogel METs and sensors. Surprisingly, a systematic review examining the application of hydrogel-based METs to sensor technologies has not yet been conducted. This review aimed to identify the current research progress surrounding the incorporation of hydrogels within METs and sensors development, with a specific focus on microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). The manufacturing process/cost, operational performance, analysis accuracy and stability of typical hydrogel materials in METs and sensors were summarised and analysed. The current challenges facing the technology as well as potential direction for future research were also discussed. This review will substantially promote the understanding of hydrogel materials used in METs and benefit the development of electrochemical biosensors using hydrogel-based METs.

Comparing with oxygen, nitrate simplifies microbial community assembly and improves function as an electron acceptor in wastewater treatment

Biochemical oxidation and reduction are key processes in treating biological wastewater and they require the presence of electron acceptors. The functional impact of electron acceptors on microbiomes provides strategies for improving the treatment efficiency. This research focused on two of the most important electron acceptors, nitrate and oxygen. Molecule ecological network, null model, and functional prediction based on high-throughput sequencing were used to analyze the microbiomes features and assembly mechanism. The results revealed nitrate via the homogeneous selection (74.0%) decreased species diversity, while oxygen via the homogeneous selection (51.1%) and dispersal limitation (29.6%) increased the complexity of community structure. Microbes that were more strongly homogeneously selected for assembly included polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs), such as Pseudomonas and variovorax in the nitrate impacted community; Pseudomonas, Candidatus_Accumulibacter, Thermomonas and Dechloromonas, in the oxygen impacted community. Nitrate simplified species interaction and increased the abundance of functional genes involving in tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle), electron transfer, nitrogen metabolism, and membrane transport. These findings contribute to our knowledge of assembly process and interactions among microorganisms and lay a theoretical basis for future microbial regulation strategies in wastewater treatment.

Microbial Biosensors for Rapid Determination of Biochemical Oxygen Demand: Approaches, Tendencies and Development Prospects

One of the main indices of the quality of water is the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). A little over 40 years have passed since the practical application of the first microbial sensor for the determination of BOD, presented by the Japanese professor Isao Karube. This time span has brought new knowledge to and practical developments in the use of a wide range of microbial cells based on BOD biosensors. At present, this field of biotechnology is becoming an independent discipline. The traditional BOD analysis (BOD₅) has not changed over many years; it takes no less than 5 days to carry out. Microbial biosensors can be used as an alternative technique for assessing the BOD attract attention because they can reduce hundredfold the time required to measure it. The review examines the experience of the creation and practical application of BOD biosensors accumulated by the international community. Special attention is paid to the use of multiple cell immobilization methods, signal registration techniques, mediators and cell consortia contained in the bioreceptor. We consider the use of nanomaterials in the modification of analytical devices developed for BOD evaluation and discuss the prospects of developing new practically important biosensor models.

Microbial Fuel Cell-Based Biosensor for Simultaneous Test of Sodium Acetate and Glucose in a Mixed Solution

Most microbial fuel cell (MFC) sensors only focus on the detection of mixed solutions with respect to the chemical oxygen demand (COD) or toxicity; however, the concentrations of the individual analytes in a mixed solution have rarely been studied. Herein, we developed two types of MFC sensors, adapted with sodium acetate (MFC-A) and glucose (MFC-B) as organic substrates in the startup period. An evident difference in the sensor sensitivities (the slope value of the linear-regression curve) was observed between MFC-A and MFC-B. MFC-A exhibited a superior performance compared with MFC-B in the detection of sodium acetate (4868.9 vs. 2202 mV/(g/L), respectively) and glucose (3895.5 vs. 3192.9 mV/(g/L), respectively). To further compare these two MFC sensors, the electrochemical performances were evaluated, and MFC-A exhibited a higher output voltage and power density (593.76 mV and 129.81 ± 4.10 mW/m², respectively) than MFC-B (484.08 mV and 116.21 ± 1.81 mW/m², respectively). Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and microbial-community analysis were also performed, and the results showed a richer anode biomass of MFC-A in comparison with MFC-B. By utilizing the different sensitivities of the two MFC sensors towards sodium acetate and glucose, we proposed and verified a novel method for a simultaneous test on the individual concentrations of sodium acetate and glucose in a mixed solution. Linear equations of the two variables (concentrations of sodium acetate and glucose) were formulated. The linear equations were solved according to the output voltages of the two MFC sensors, and the solutions showed a satisfactory accuracy with regard to sodium acetate and glucose (relative error less than 20%).

Electrical generation and methane emission from an anoxic riverine sediment slurry treated by a two-chamber microbial fuel cell

A two-chamber slurry microbial fuel cell (SMFC) was constructed using black-odorous river sediments as substrate for the anode. We tested addition of potassium ferricyanide (K₃[Fe(CN)₆]) or sodium chloride (NaCl) to the cathode chamber (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mM) and aeration of the cathode chamber (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 h per day) to assess their response on electrical generation, internal resistance, and methane emission over a 600-h period. When the aeration time in the cathode chamber was 6 h and K₃[Fe(CN)₆] or NaCl concentrations were 200 mM, the highest power densities were 6.00, 6.45, and 6.64 mW·m^-2, respectively. With increasing K₃[Fe(CN)₆] or NaCl concentration in the cathode chamber, methane emission progressively decreased (mean ± SD: 181.6 ± 10.9 → 75.5 ± 9.8 mg/m³·h and 428.0 ± 28.5 → 157.0 ± 35.7 mg/m³·h), respectively, but was higher than the reference having no cathode/anode electrodes (~ 30 mg/m³·h). Cathode aeration (0 → 8 h/day) demonstrated a reduction in methane emission from the anode chamber for only the 6-h treatment (mean: 349.6 ± 37.4 versus 299.4 ± 34.7 mg/m³·h for 6 h/day treatment); methane emission from the reference was much lower (85.3 ± 26.1 mg/m³·h). Our results demonstrate that adding an electron acceptor (K₃[Fe(CN)₆]), electrolyte solution (NaCl), and aeration to the cathode chamber can appreciably improve electrical generation efficiency from the MFC. Notably, electrical generation stimulates methane emission, but methane emission decreases at higher power densities.

Contribution of configurations, electrode and membrane materials, electron transfer mechanisms, and cost of components on the current and future development of microbial fuel cells

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a technology that can be applied to both the wastewater treatment and bioenergy generation. This work discusses the contribution of improvements regarding the configurations, electrode materials, membrane materials, electron transfer mechanisms, and materials cost on the current and future development of MFCs. Analysis of the most recent scientific publications on the field denotes that dual-chamber MFCs configuration offers the greatest potential due to the excellent ability to be adapted to different operating environments. Carbon-based materials show the best performance, biocompatibility of carbon-brush anode favors the formation of the biofilm in a mixed consortium and in wastewater as a substrate resembles the conditions of real scenarios. Carbon-cloth cathode modified with nanotechnology favors the conductive properties of the electrode. Ceramic clay membranes emerge as an interesting low-cost membrane with a proton conductivity of 0.0817 S cm^-1, close to that obtained with the Nafion membrane. The use of nanotechnology in the electrodes also enhances electron transfer in MFCs. It increases the active sites at the anode and improves the interface with microorganisms. At the cathode, it favors its catalytic properties and the oxygen reduction reaction. These features together favor MFCs performance through energy production and substrate degradation with values above 2.0 W m^-2 and 90% respectively. All the recent advances in MFCs are gradually contributing to enable technological alternatives that, in addition to wastewater treatment, generate energy in a sustainable manner. It is important to continue the research efforts worldwide to make MFCs an available and affordable technology for industry and society.

Microbial fuel cells for bioelectricity production from waste as sustainable prospect of future energy sector

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is lauded for its potentials to solve both energy crisis and environmental pollution. Technologically, it offers the capability to harness electricity from the chemical energy stored in the organic substrate with no intermediate steps, thereby minimizes the entropic loss due to the inter-conversion of energy. The sciences underneath such MFCs include the electron and proton generation from the metabolic decomposition of the substrate by microbes at the anode, followed by the shuttling of these charges to cathode for electricity generation. While its promising prospects were mutually evinced in the past investigations, the upscaling of MFC in sustaining global energy demands and waste treatments is yet to be put into practice. In this context, the current review summarizes the important knowledge and applications of MFCs, concurrently identifies the technological bottlenecks that restricted its vast implementation. In addition, economic analysis was also performed to provide multiangle perspectives to readers. Succinctly, MFCs are mainly hindered by the slow metabolic kinetics, sluggish transfer of charged particles, and low economic competitiveness when compared to conventional technologies. From these hindering factors, insightful strategies for improved practicality of MFCs were formulated, with potential future research direction being identified too. With proper planning, we are delighted to see the industrialization of MFCs in the near future, which would benefit the entire human race with cleaner energy and the environment.

Enhancing sensitivity of microbial fuel cell sensors for low concentration biodegradable organic matter detection: Regulation of substrate concentration, anode area and external resistance

The relatively low sensitivity is an important reason for restricting the microbial fuel cell (MFC) sensors' application in low concentration biodegradable organic matter (BOM) detection. The startup parameters, including substrate concentration, anode area and external resistance, were regulated to enhance the sensitivity of MFC sensors. The results demonstrated that both the substrate concentration and anode area were positively correlated with the sensitivity of MFC sensors, and an external resistance of 210 Ω was found to be optimal in terms of sensitivity of MFC sensors. Optimized MFC sensors had lower detection limit (1 mg/L) and higher sensitivity (Slope value of the linear regression curve was 1.02), which effectively overcome the limitation of low concentration BOM detection. The essential reason is that optimized MFC sensors had higher coulombic efficiency, which was beneficial to improve the sensitivity of MFC sensors. The main impact of the substrate concentration and anode area was to regulate the proportion between electrogens and nonelectrogens, biomass and living cells of the anode biofilm. The external resistance mainly affected the morphology structure and the proportion of living cells of the anode. This study demonstrated an effective way to improve the sensitivity of MFC sensors for low concentration BOM detection.

Performance of mediator-less double chamber microbial fuel cell-based biosensor for measuring biological chemical oxygen

Recently, the microbial fuel cell-based biosensor has been considered as an attractive technology for measuring wastewater quality such as biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). In this study, a mediator-less double compartment MFC based biosensor utilizing carbon felt as an anode electrode and inoculated with mixed culture was developed to improve the real application of a rapid BOD detection. This study aims to: (i) establish the effect of the operating conditions (i.e., pH, external resistance, fuel feeding rate) on MFC performance; (ii) investigate the correlation between biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and signal output, and (iii) evaluate the operational stability of the biosensor. The presented result reveals that the maximum current and power production was obtained while 100 mM NaCl and 50 mM Phosphate buffer saline was used as a catholyte solution, neutral pH condition of media and fuel feeding rate at 0.3 mL min^-1. Notably, a wider range of BOD concentration up to 300 mg L ^-1 can be obtained with the voltage output (R² > 0.9901). Stable and steady power was produced by running MFC in 30 days when cells operated at 1000 Ω external resistance. Our research has some competition with the previous double chamber MFC in the upper limit of BOD detection. This results might help to increase the real application of MFC based BOD biosensor in real-time measurement.

Dual detection of biochemical oxygen demand and nitrate in water based on bidirectional Shewanella loihica electron transfer

This study for the first time proposed a method for simultaneously measuring BOD and nitrate in water using electrochemically active bacteria. Firstly, the bidirectional extracellular electron transfer (EET) capability of a model electricigen Shewanella loihica PV-4 was revealed. Then, based on the respective outward and inward EET, S. loihica PV-4 was utilized to detection BOD and nitrate. The results demonstrated a positive correlation between the outward EET and BOD (from 0 mg/L to 435 mg/L) while a negative correlation between the inward EET and nitrate (from 0 mg/L to 7 mg/L); both the relationships were well fitted by the combination of traditional linear model and Michaelis-Menten model (R²>0.96). Finally, a dual detection method for BOD and nitrate measurements was established based on the ano-cathodophilic capability of S. loihica PV-4 biofilm, and exhibited the characteristics of high accuracy (>80%) and fast analysis (<1h), suggesting a promising prospect in water monitoring.