Microbial Fuel Cells: Innovations in Bioenergy Conversion

Dear Colleagues,

Exploitation of Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC) and other Green Machines (e.g. Photo-Microbial Fuel Cells [PMFC] and Microbial Desalination Cells [MDC]) will be essential to help reduce production of greenhouse gases, whilst also treating waste organic sludges, substrates and feedstock (aqueous fuel) and recycling elements at the molecular scale. Many bioelectrical devices require electrical energy inputs to treat pollution, whereas MFC, PMFC and MDC produce electrical power while decarbonising and recycling elements. In addition, MFC can be used as biosensors, and all three green machines can be energy autonomous using various types of microbial electrodes as the driving force for energy and biomass. Therefore, the future of MFC, PMFC and MDC lies in their potential to revolutionise waste management and serve as a sustainable, decentralised energy source, particularly now that technical challenges such as low power output, high costs, and scalability have largely been overcome through research and innovation.

Any reasonable connection to the science, research and development of the above Green Machines (MFC, PMFC, MDC) or research on ancillary subject areas, such as comparisons of different feedstocks, or other nutritional options is welcome. Potential topics include microalgal photobioreactors, and/or pre-treatment carboxylate digesters, microbiology of electrode biofilms, ecological mixture of species producing hydrolytic enzymes, in situ stability of pure and mixed cultures, both exoelectric and fermentative species.

Papers on ancillary technologies may also be permitted if they can relate to MFCs or PMFCs. Examples of R&D (e.g., digestors or pre-digester systems where digested products are used for feeding MFC, or, for the cathode, the production of microalgal biomass as fuel for MFC for the use of oxygen production in the cathode for increasing power density) are welcome.

Prof. Dr. John Greenman
Dr. Robin Thorn
Guest Editors

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• MFC
• PMFC
• MDC
• bioelectricity
• bioremediation
• microbial biofilms
• biofilm electrodes
• physical and chemical sensors
• elemental molecular recycling