Evaluating a New Prototype of Plant Microbial Fuel Cell: Is the Electrical Performance Affected by Carbon Pellet Layering and Urea Treatment?

Plant microbial fuel cells: A promising biosystems engineering

Effects of biochar anodes in rice plant microbial fuel cells on the production of bioelectricity, biomass, and methane

Plant microbial fuel cells with Oryza rufipogon and Typha orientalis for remediation of cadmium contaminated soil

Plant microbial fuel cell in paddy field : A power source for rural area

The exploration of sustainable and renewable energy sources parallels the computational modeling and simulation of biological systems, both driven by the increasing energy demands of modern society. One promising area of research is the utilization of microorganisms for electricity generation, leveraging their inherent metabolic processes. This study investigates two innovative approaches: Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) and Plant Microbial Fuel Cells (PMFCs). MFCs harness the electron transfer capabilities of certain bacteria to generate electricity directly from organic matter. This bio-electrochemical system offers a sustainable and environmentally friendly method of energy production. However, the performance of MFCs can be enhanced by incorporating plant-based systems, leading to the development of PMFCs. In this research, we introduce a novel PMFC design based on the Aloe vera plant, which demonstrates improved stability and increased bioelectricity generation compared to traditional PMFCs. We evaluate the impact of incorporating plants and compost on bioenergy production in PMFCs and present an automated testing framework for the electrical characterization of these systems. By harnessing the synergy between microorganisms and plant systems, this study aims to contribute to the ongoing efforts in developing clean and sustainable energy solutions. The proposed approaches not only address the depletion of fossil resources but also mitigate environmental degradation, aligning with the global sustainability goals.

Power-generating trees: Direct bioelectricity production from plants with microbial fuel cells

Effects of salinity, growing media, and photoperiod on bioelectricity production in plant microbial fuel cells with weeping alkaligrass

Progress and recent trends in photosynthetic assisted microbial fuel cells: A review

The effects of graphene oxide (GO) on electricity generation in soil microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) and plant microbial fuel cell (PMFCs) were investigated. GO at concentrations ranging from 0 to 1.9 g⋅kg−1 was added to soil and reduced for 10 days under anaerobic incubation. All SMFCs (GO-SMFCs) utilizing the soils incubated with GO produced electricity at a greater rate and in higher quantities than the SMFCs which did not contain GO. In fed-batch operations, the overall average electricity generation in GO-SMFCs containing 1.0 g⋅kg−1 of GO was 40 ± 19 mW⋅m−2, which was significantly higher than the value of 6.6 ± 8.9 mW⋅m−2 generated from GO-free SMFCs (p < 0.05). The increase in catalytic current at the oxidative potential was observed by cyclic voltammetry (CV) for GO-SMFC, with the CV curve suggesting the enhancement of electron transfer from oxidation of organic substances in the soil by the reduced form of GO. The GO-containing PMFC also displayed a greater generation of electricity compared to the PMFC with no added GO, with GO-PMFC producing 49 mW⋅m−2 of electricity after 27 days of operation. Collectively, this study demonstrates that GO added to soil can be microbially reduced in soil, and facilitates electron transfer to the anode in both SMFCs and PMFCs.

Plant microbial fuel cell (PMFC) is an emerging technology, showing promise for environmental biosensors and sustainable energy production. Despite its potential, PMFCs struggle with issues like low power output and limited drought resistance. Recent studies proposed that integrating biochar may enhance PMFC performance due to its physicochemical properties. The influence of different biochar types on PMFC efficiency has been minimally explored. This study aims to fill this gap by evaluating the performance of PMFCs integrated with various biochar types under unsaturated soil conditions. The study found that the addition of biochar types─specifically reed straw biochar (RSB), apple wood biochar (AWB), and corn straw biochar (CSB)─significantly influenced the performance of PMFCs. RSB, with its large surface area and porous structure, notably increased the current output by reducing soil resistance and enhancing electron transfer efficiency in microbial reduction reactions, achieving a peak power density of approximately 1608 mW/m2. AWB, despite its less porous structure, leveraged its high cation exchange capacity and hydrophilic functional groups to foster microbial community growth and diversity, thereby also increasing bioelectricity output. Conversely, CSB, with its large surface area, showed the least improvement in PMFC performance due to its layered structure and lower water retention capacity. Additionally, under drought conditions, PMFCs with added RSB and AWB exhibited better drought resistance due to their ability to improve soil moisture characteristics and enhance soil conductivity. The addition of biochar reduced soil resistance, increasing the bioelectric output of PMFCs and maintaining good performance even under low moisture conditions. This study highlights the critical role of biochar's surface area and functional groups in optimizing PMFC performance. It enhances our understanding of PMFC optimization and might offer a novel power generation method for the future, while also presenting a fresh strategy for soil monitoring.

Plant microbial fuel cells (PMFCs) are a recently developed technology that uses organic rhizodeposits as the electron donor for heterotrophic microorganisms in the plant rhizosphere. Graphite is often used as cathode material in PMFCs. However, the reduction of oxygen on graphite is slow and limits the power output of the PMFCs. In these study carbon fiber and activated bamboo charcoal were used as electrode material in buckets of 13 L, anode active bamboo charcoal and cathode carbon fiber and PET bottle of 500 mL, both anode and cathode consisted of active bamboo charcoal. The highest voltage reached in the bucket experiments was 0.83 V; it is the highest so far in PMFC research. In the PET bottles, the maximum power per anode area was 40.3 mW/m2. Voltage generation of PMFCs increased as a result of the presence of iron wire in the anode, and PMFCs were able to generate power continuously with no effect of solar radiation observed. As this technology advances, it will have tremendous benefits as PMFCs are considered sustainable and have no competition for arable land or nature.

Plant microbialfuel cells (P-MFCs) offer a sustainable approach to bioelectricity generation by harnessing solar energy through photosynthetic processes. However, significant challenges remain regarding their efficiency, scalability, and integration into practical applications. This study addresses these gaps by evaluating the electrochemical performance of an Aloe vera-based P-MFC compared to a control microbial fuel cell (MFC) consisting solely of potting soil and graphite electrodes. Electrochemical analyses, including open-circuit voltage (OCV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), were conducted to assess system performance. The Aloe vera-based P-MFC demonstrated a stable OCV approximately 27 mV higher, a current density 3.7 times greater, and an impedance nearly 4.7 times lower than the control MFC. Additionally, the peak power density of the Aloe vera-based P-MFC reached 1100 mW/m2, significantly outperforming the control MFC, which yielded 250 mW/m2. The superior performance of the Aloe vera-based P-MFC is attributed to the plant’s photosynthetic activity, which enhances microbial interactions and electron transfer efficiency. Notably, the successful series connection of Aloe vera-based P-MFCs facilitated the charging of a lead-acid battery, which was subsequently used to power an LED, demonstrating the system’s practical applicability. This study contributes to the advancement of P-MFC technology by highlighting Aloe vera’s potential as an efficient bioelectricity generator. By addressing current limitations and proposing future enhancements such as microbial optimization and electrode modifications, this research underscores the role of P-MFCs in sustainable energy solutions and their potential integration into architectural and interior landscape designs.

Progress towards green and autonomous energy sources includes exploiting living systems and biological tissue for harvesting electrical energy. Plant-microbial fuel cells (P-MFCs) have recently been identified as a promising energy source for continuously and indefinitely supplying autonomous electronic devices, such as, for example, sensor nodes. This paper reports the results of the characterization of microbial fuel cells supplied by pot plants in terms of harvestable electrical energy. The results show that electronic devices with a power consumption lower than 1mW can be easily operated continuously with the energy produced by P-MFCs. As test cases, P-MFCs have been used to power LEDs as well as a temperature and relative humidity sensor.

Although renewable sources of energy including geothermal, hydropower, wind, solar and biomass are utilized by the Philippines, coal-fired power plants remain the main source of electrical energy consumed by Filipino households. To lessen the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels, new and innovative sources of renewable energy should be explored. Plant-Microbial Fuel Cells (PMFCs) are a promising renewable energy technology that can be used to supplement our demand for electricity. PMFCs utilize the metabolic processes of certain bacteria in the roots of a plant to generate clean electricity. This study tested the potential of generating electricity from three common house plants in a PMFC set-up: Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum), Portulaca Flower (Portulaca oleracea), and Dumb Canes (Dieffenbachia amoena). A simple set-up was prepared using low-cost materials. Open circuit voltage and current was continuously monitored to determine the power output of the PMFCs. C. comosum registered the highest maximum power density out of the three plants, at 30.39 mW/m2. The results of this study has direct implications to how house plants are kept. Instead of keeping them for aesthetics, the added value of green energy produced can be valuable for powering devices in-situ.

The Plant Microbial Fuel Cell (PMFC) design using water hyacinth has been successfully created. The PMFC was then treated by varying the distance of the electrode and giving the effect of sunlight. The electrodes used are Cu-Zn pairs where the electrode distance varies, with values of 3, 6, 9, and 12 cm. Furthermore, the data was taken with PMFC conditions placed outside and indoors for 14 days (331 hours). The results showed that PMFC with an electrode distance of 3 cm produced a more excellent value of electrical power than the other electrode distances, which was 0.6786 mW on the second day at the 37th hour or in the afternoon at 13.00 WIB. In general, the electrical characteristics produced by PMFCs, which are affected by sunlight, produce greater electrical power than PMFCs indoors.