Approach to microbial fuel cells and their applications

Abstract

In this chapter we address the problem of bacteria attached to electrodes as the origin of the so-called Bacterial or Microbial Fuel Cells. Although the language and literature sources are different to those used by the researchers in electrocatalysis, the concepts underneath are quite equivalent: we need to have some species adsorbed to and electrode in order to gain electrochemical information, and the electroactive groups should be close to the surface to be detected. A lot of information exits on phenomenological aspects, mainly for bacteria adsorbed on carbon substrates, but, in order to gain molecular information, e.g. as that derived from spectroscopic data, more convenient electrode supports are required. The understanding of the electron transfer processes at the bacteria / electrode interface is still in its infancy and clearly represent a bottleneck for the possibility to use MFC’s for practical applications in the future. Most of available information is clearly coming from Biologists and Engineers, while electrochemical work is still lacking. Consequently, the aim of this chapter is to call the attention of those interested in bioelectrocatalysis on the brand new field of bacterial electrochemistry.