Microbial Fuel Cell: Recent Developments in Organic Substrate Use and Bacterial Electrode Interaction

Table 1

Summary of the used substrates in MFC with performance.

List of organic substrates	Used concentration	Inoculum source	Type of MFC (with surface area of electrode and/or volume of cell)	Current density (mA/cm^2)	Reference
Acetate	1 g/L	Preacclimated bacteria	One-chamber MFC in the form of a cube with a graphite fiber brush anode (brush volume: 7170 m^2/m^3)	0.8	[25]
Arabitol	1220 mg/L	Preacclimated bacteria	MFC (12 mL) with nonwet proofed carbon cloth as an anode (2 cm^2) and wet proofed carbon cloth as a cathode (7 cm^2) in one chamber	0.68	[26]
Azo dye with glucose	300 mg/L	Mixture of anaerobic and aerobic sludge	MFC with a single-chamber air-cathode and a carbon paper anode (36 cm^2)	0.09	[27]
Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)	1 g/L	Clostridium celluloticum and G. sulfurreducens	MFC with two chambers and graphite plates as electrodes (16 cm^2), as well as ferricyanide catholyte	0.05	[28]
Cellulose particles	4 g/L	Pure culture of Enterobacter cloacae	Carbon cloth anode (1.13 cm^2) and carbon fibers as the cathode in a U-tube MFC	0.02	[28]
Corn stover biomass	1 g/L	Domestic wastewater	Carbon paper anode (7.1 cm^2) and carbon cloth cathode in a one-chamber membrane-less air-cathode MFC	0.15	[29]
Cysteine	385 mg/L	Sediment sample from depth of 30 cm	MFC with two chambers and carbon paper electrodes (11.25 cm^2)	0.0186	[30]
1,2-Dichloroethane	99 mg/L	Microbial consortia from MFC enriched with acetate	Two-chambered MFC with graphite plate anode (20 cm^2) and graphite granules cathode	0.008	[31]
Furfural	6.8 mM	Preacclimated bacteria from anode of a ferricyanide-cathode MFC	Carbon paper anode and cathode in a one-chamber air-cathode MFC (7 cm^2)	0.17	[32]
Galactitol	1220 mg/L	Preacclimated bacteria from MFC	MFC (12 mL) with nonwet proofed carbon cloth as anode (2 cm^2) and wet proofed carbon cloth as cathode (7 cm^2) in one chamber	0.78	[26]
Glucose	6.7 mM	Mixed bacterial culture maintained on sodium acetate for 1 year (Rhodococcus and Paracoccus)	MFC (12 mL) with a one-chamber air-cathode and nonwet proofed carbon cloth as anode (2 cm^2) and wet proofed carbon cloth as cathode (7 cm^2)	0.70	[33]
Lactate	18 mM	Pure culture of S. oneidensis MR-1	MFC with two chambers and graphite felt electrode (20 cm^2)	0.005	[34]
Landfill leachate	6000 mg/L	Leachate and sludge	MFC with two chambers and a carbon veil electrode (30 cm^2)	0.0004	[35]
Macroalgae, Ulva lactuca	2500 mg/L	Primary clarifier overflow of a wastewater plant	Graphite brush anodes and a platinized cathode in a one-chamber air-cathode MFC (25 mL)	0.25	[36]
Microalgae, Chlorella vulgaris	2500 mg/L	Primary clarifier overflow of a wastewater plant	Graphite brush anodes and a platinized cathode in a one-chamber air-cathode MFC (25 mL)	0.20	[37]
Ribitol	1220 mg/L	Preacclimated bacteria from MFC	MFC (12 mL) with nonwet proofed carbon cloth as anode (2 cm^2) and wet proofed carbon cloth as cathode (7 cm^2) in one chamber	0.73	[33]
Sodium formate	20 mM	Anaerobic digested fluid from a sewage treatment plant	MFC with two chambers and graphite felt electrodes (4.5 cm^2)	0.22	[37]
Sodium fumarate	25 mM	Pure culture of G. sulfurreducens	Half-cells of stainless steel cathode (2.5 cm^2) poised at −600 mV against Ag/AgCl	2.05	[38]
Sucrose	2674 mg/L	Anaerobic sludge from septic tank	MFC in two chambers of woven graphite anode (7 cm^2) and ferricyanide catholyte	0.19	[39]
Xylose and humic acid	10 mM	Domestic wastewater	MFC with two chambers and plain carbon paper as electrode (76.5 cm^2)	0.06	[40]
Brewery wastewater	600 mg/L	Anaerobic mixed consortia	One-chamber air-cathode MFC with carbon fibers as anode	0.18	[41]
Chocolate industry wastewater	1459 mg/L	Activated sludge	MFC with two chambers and ferricyanide as catholyte, with graphite rods as electrodes (16.485 cm^2) and ferricyanide as catholyte	0.302	[42]
Domestic wastewater	600 mg/L	Anaerobic sludge	MFC with a two-chambered mediator-free chamber and a simple graphite electrode (50 cm^2)	0.06	[43]
Protein-rich wastewater	1.75 g/L	Mesophilic anaerobic sludge	MFC with two chambers and graphite rods as electrodes (65 cm^2)	0.008	[44]
Real urban wastewater	330 mg/L	Domestic wastewater	A salt bridge connects the anolyte (1000 cm^3) and catholyte (100 cm^3) chambers; graphite cylinder anode (20 cm^2)	0.018	[45]
Starch processing wastewater	4852 mg/L	Starch processing wastewater	MFC with a single-chamber air-cathode and a carbon paper anode (25 cm^2)	0.09	[44]
Synthetic wastewater	16 g	Granular sludge from upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor	MFC with glassy carbon electrodes (160 cm^2) that is membrane-less and mediator-free	0.17	[46]
Synthetic wastewater	510 mg/L	Anaerobic culture from a preexisting MFC	Stainless steel as anode (170 cm^2) and graphite rods as cathode (150 cm^2) in a dual-chamber MFC	0.008	[39]