Abstract
Soil microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) function as bioelectrochemical energy harvesters that convert electrons stored in soil organic matter into useful electrical energy. Broadly, an SMFC comprises three essential components: an anode buried in the soil (the negative terminal), a colony of exoelectrogenic microorganisms residing on this anode, and a cathode (the positive terminal). As the exoelectrogens respire, they release electrons to the anode, which acts as an external receptor. These released electrons then flow through a load (e.g. a resistor), connecting the anode and cathode. Though minuscule, the electrical power produced by SMFCs has a number of potential applications such as sustaining low-power embedded electronics, pollutant remediation, or as a bio-sensing proxy for soil qualities and microbial activity. This discussion aims to emphasize the potential of SMFCs in addressing real-world environmental issues and to generate interest in the larger scientific community for broad interdisciplinary research efforts, particularly in field deployments.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 175229 |
Journal | Science of the Total Environment |
Volume | 949 |
DOIs |
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State | Published - Nov 1 2024 |
Funding
This work is supported by Agricultural and Food Research Initiative grant no. 2023-6702140628 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture . The authors also acknowledge valuable manuscript feedback from Pat Pannuto, Bill Yen and Neal Blair.
Keywords
- Microbial fuel cell
- Soil
- Soil microbial fuel cell
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Engineering
- Environmental Chemistry
- Waste Management and Disposal
- Pollution