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Microorganisms
Special Issues
Microbial Electrolysis Cells and Microbial Fuel Cells
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Microbial Electrolysis Cells and Microbial Fuel Cells

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Microbial Biotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 2395

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Shuyao Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Bioresource Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
Interests: bioelectrochemical system; environmental sustainability; contaminant transport and remediation; waste-to-energy technologies; green agricultural systems

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) and microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are the main bioelectrochemical systems with significant potential for energy recovery, wastewater treatment, and pollutant removal. These technologies harness electroactive microbes to drive key environmental and energy-related processes. Recent advancements in electrode materials, system design, and microbial interactions have improved their performance and broadened their applications.

This Special Issue focuses on advancing MECs and MFCs for sustainable energy production, wastewater treatment, and environmental remediation. We invite studies discussing microbial interactions, electrode materials, system optimization, life cycle assessment, and large-scale applications. Special attention will be given to emerging areas such as microplastic removal, resource recovery, and hybrid system integration. By gathering up-to-date research, this Issue aims to foster insightful collaboration and accelerate the practical application of MEC and MFC technologies. We welcome original research, reviews, and perspectives that contribute to the development of these innovative bioelectrochemical systems.

Dr. Shuyao Wang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bioelectrochemical systems
  • microbial fuel cell
  • microbial electrolysis cell
  • pollution control
  • cleaner energy production

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 20435 KB  
Article
Anthocyanin Boosts Electroactive Biofilms Formation and Regulates Intrinsic Catalytic Activity of Single Cells in Escherichia coli for Sustainable Bio-Electrocatalysis in Microbial Fuel Cells
by Kai Zong, Liwen Chen, Waseem Raza, Xin Wang, Lin Yang and Zhongwei Chen
Microorganisms 2026, 14(4), 872; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14040872 - 13 Apr 2026
Viewed by 380
Abstract
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a sustainable approach to wastewater treatment and energy recovery. However, their practical utility is often limited by sluggish cathode kinetics. For this technology, developing cost-effective biocatalysts that do not compromise effectiveness is a primary challenge. In this study, [...] Read more.
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a sustainable approach to wastewater treatment and energy recovery. However, their practical utility is often limited by sluggish cathode kinetics. For this technology, developing cost-effective biocatalysts that do not compromise effectiveness is a primary challenge. In this study, we utilized anthocyanin molecularly functionalized Escherichia coli (Cya-WT) to promote the formation of electroactive biofilms and regulate the intrinsic catalytic activity of single cells, thereby enhancing extracellular electron transfer. MFCs incorporating Cya-WT-loaded carbon cloth (CC) biocathodes were configured to simultaneously evaluate power generation and glucose degradation activity. The results indicated that Cya-WT exhibited significantly improved oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity, achieving a reduction peak current of 3.61 mA cm−2, compared to 2.02 mA cm−2 for wild-type E. coli (WT). The assembled MFC offers a peak power density of 268 ± 13.4 μW cm−2 and decomposes 17.1 ± 1.15 mM of glucose in 150 h, maintaining a consistent voltage output for 800 h. These results demonstrate that anthocyanin functionalization significantly enhances the electrocatalytic performance and metabolic capabilities of E. coli. This novel catalyst design method offers a new strategy for low-cost, renewable MFC cathode catalysts and shows good promise in MFC biopower generation through the assembly of carbon-based biocathodes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Electrolysis Cells and Microbial Fuel Cells)
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14 pages, 2602 KB  
Article
The Effects of Applied Potential and Carbon Donor on Succinic Acid Production via Electro-Fermentation
by Jingjing Wang and Wenqiao Yuan
Microorganisms 2026, 14(3), 686; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14030686 - 18 Mar 2026
Viewed by 386
Abstract
This study was conducted to understand how applied potential modulates metabolic flux toward succinic acid during xylose electro-fermentation by Actinobacillus succinogenes under varying feed concentrations (15, 20, 25 g/L). Electro-fermentations were conducted with applied potential at −1.5 V and −2.5 V and compared [...] Read more.
This study was conducted to understand how applied potential modulates metabolic flux toward succinic acid during xylose electro-fermentation by Actinobacillus succinogenes under varying feed concentrations (15, 20, 25 g/L). Electro-fermentations were conducted with applied potential at −1.5 V and −2.5 V and compared to open circuit control. Product distribution and carbon balance were quantified to assess the effect of potential on pathway routing. Results showed that applied potential consistently reduced formic acid and increased succinic acid selectivity. At 20 g/L xylose, the highest succinic acid yield was 0.80 mol/mol at −2.5 V, a 28.88% increase compared to that of the control (0.62 mol/mol). Formic acid and acetic acid yields were 0.73 and 0.60 mol/mol, representing a 48.83% and 16.09% reduction, respectively. The carbon allocation to succinic acid was 51% with a total carbon recovery of 81%. In addition, the effects of 10 g/L and 15 g/L NaHCO3, as well as 10 g/L NaHCO3 supplemented with gaseous CO2, were evaluated at 15 g/L xylose and −2.5 V. Supplementation with gaseous CO2 increased succinic acid yield from 0.74 to 0.85 mol/mol and improved total carbon recovery from 75% to 84%. Collectively, these findings show that applied potential, in combination with bicarbonate or CO2 supply, can be strategically employed to improve succinic acid production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Electrolysis Cells and Microbial Fuel Cells)
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12 pages, 1613 KB  
Article
The Exploitation of Single-Chambered Microbial Fuel Cells for PET Removal in Water
by Andre Hadji-Thomas, Shuyao Wang, Yvan Gariepy and Vijaya Raghavan
Microorganisms 2025, 13(11), 2500; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13112500 - 31 Oct 2025
Viewed by 1001
Abstract
This work investigated the use of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for the degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and the simultaneous generation of electricity. The study implemented two separate single-chamber MFCs, one with a co-culture of Ideonella sakaiensis and Geobacter sulfurreducens (I.S-G.S) and the [...] Read more.
This work investigated the use of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for the degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and the simultaneous generation of electricity. The study implemented two separate single-chamber MFCs, one with a co-culture of Ideonella sakaiensis and Geobacter sulfurreducens (I.S-G.S) and the other with Ideonella sakaiensis and activated sludge (I.S-AS). The effectiveness of microplastic (MP) degradation was assessed based on the electroactivity of the anodic biofilm, the reduction in particle size, and the decrease in PET mass. Both systems achieved a significant reduction in MP size and mass, with the I.S-AS system notably surpassing the I.S-G.S in terms of efficiency and electricity generation. The I.S-AS system achieved a 30% mass reduction and 80% size reduction, along with a peak voltage of 222 mV. The study concludes that MFCs, particularly with the activated sludge co-culture, offer a viable and more environmentally friendly alternative for MP degradation and energy recovery. These findings suggest a promising direction for improving waste management practices and advancing the capabilities of bio-electrochemical systems in addressing plastic pollution. Further research is recommended to optimize the operational conditions and to test a broader range of MP sizes for enhanced degradation efficacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Electrolysis Cells and Microbial Fuel Cells)
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