微生物燃料电池在废水处理中的研究进展

Water pollution and energy crisis are becoming increasingly severe, derived from rapid global industrialization. As a new type of bioelectrochemical process, microbial fuel cell (MFC) can generate electricity through degrading organic matter, which is endowed with attractive superiorities in terms of cleanliness, energy saving and economy. Therefore, many researchers have attached extensive attention on this hotspot. This article firstly introduces the working principle and electron transfer mechanism of MFC, as well as analyzes the key factors affecting its performance (i.e. anode material, cathode material, microbial inoculation, reactor configuration and system operating parameters). Secondly, the investigations of MFC in wastewater treatment in recent years are critically reviewed, especially domestic wastewater, agricultural wastewater and industrial wastewater. Then, the various coupling applications of MFC with other technologies are expatiated, including electro-Fenton, photocatalysis, constructed wetland system and microbial electrolytic cell. Finally, we point out the problems confronted by MFC at present, and propose feasible survey directions for its prospects with comprehensive consideration, especially, thorough investigation of mechanisms, optimization of inoculated microbial populations, improvement of materials and configurations, promotion of inflow modes and operating parameters, as well as development of new hybrid systems coupling with other technologies.