Development and Applications of Bioelectrochemical Systems

Dear Colleagues,

The bioelectrochemical system (BES), which is capable of converting chemical energy into electrical energy (and vice-versa) while employing microbes as catalysts, is a sustainable platform with the potential to address global challenges in renewable energy and natural resources. Recently, many studies revealed that extracellular electrons are also exchanged via direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) as well as mediated electron transfer. Compared with indirect interspecies electron transfer by the enzymatic reactions, extracellular electron transfers are less susceptible to environmental conditions, has better electron conservation during transferal, and can be promoted by external electric potential. Therefore, BES has the potential to be applied to a variety of applications such as waste to energy conversion, microbial electrosynthesis of useful substances, bioprocess monitoring, and waste and wastewater treatment. So far, various BES platforms such as microbial fuel cells (MFCs), microbial electrolysis cells (MECs), and microbial desalination cells (MDCs) have been studied, and in recent years, significant advances in the design and operation of BESs in various applications have been made based on the fundamental mechanisms of DIET.

This Special Issue aims to present up-to-date information on the recent scientific advances in the fundamental and diverse applications of BES. Authors are invited to submit papers relating to, but not limited to, the following topics: electroactive microorganisms, mechanisms of direct/indirect interspecies electron transfer, the bioelectrochemical reaction (redox potential shift, thermodynamics, and kinetics), electrodes (materials, catalysts, shapes, and arrangements), electrode potential and electrostatic field, BES platforms (MFCs, MDCs, MECs, and other new platforms), modeling and optimization of BES, applications of BES (methane and hydrogen production, biogas upgrading, nitrogen removal, tertiary treatment of wastewater, etc.), and BES design and operation.

Prof. Dr. Young-Chae Song
Dr. Younggy Kim
Prof. Dr. Yongtae Ahn
Guest Editors

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