Light-assisted microbial electrochemical technologies for bioelectricity generation and product recovery

Abstract

With the increase in demand for the improvement of microbial electrochemical technologies (METs) for bioelectricity generation and product recovery, light-assisted METs have developed as an option. The use of light helps in the electrohydrogenesis process at the cathode. Various variants of light-assisted METs employ photosynthetic bacteria/algae, anode and photocathode assembly, and so on. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) using photosynthetic bacteria, bioelectrodes, and hybrids of photoelectrocatalytic cells (PECs) and MFCs show superior performance compared to individual MFCs. The dye-sensitized solar cell coupling of MFCs helps enhance electrohydrogenesis and H2 production. This book chapter deals with all types of light-assisted METs. The effect of the configuration, electrode material, electrolyte, and physical and chemical factors on the performance of light-assisted METs is discussed. The miniaturizing and stacking of reactors in solar-assisted METs is a current approach showing superior performance. The value-added products formed at the cathodic compartment, carbon-based or H2 gas, are discussed and reported literature compared with the enhanced recovery of existing METs.