Abstract
Photosynthetic microbial fuel cells (PMFCs) are an efficient and sustainable approach to simultaneously generate bioelectricity, treat wastewaters and produce value added compounds. In PMFCs, algae can act as a biocatholyte by accepting electrons and producing oxygen during photosynthesis. Dissolved oxygen in the catholyte combines with protons crossing from the anode chamber through the membrane and electrons traveling from the anode electrode through an external electrical resistance to complete the circuit and as a byproduct, to generate water. The algae can be grown in nutrient rich wastewater, providing an inexpensive substrate. Algal biomass can be used to produce value added products like biofuels, pharmaceuticals, antioxidants and nutraceutical products. In single chamber PMFCs, both algae and the bacteria grow together in a synergistic relationship treating wastewater while simultaneously generating bioelectricity. This chapter describes how algae can play different roles in microbial fuel cells to generate bioelectricity.
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