Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Microbial Fuel Cells

Microbial Fuel Cells

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are bioelectrochemical devices that generate electricity by exploiting the metabolic processes of electrogenic bacteria. These systems provide a renewable energy source and serve as an innovative method for treating organic waste, such as wastewater.A typical MFC consists of two chambers: an anoxic (oxygen-free) compartment that houses the bacteria and an oxic (oxygen-rich) compartment that contains oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor. Many MFCs use proton...

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...

Microbial Wastewater Treatment

Microbial Wastewater Treatment

Microbial communities in aquatic ecosystems play a key role in the natural breakdown of contaminants introduced through domestic and industrial effluents. Acting as biological catalysts, these microbes change and mineralize a wide range of organic and inorganic pollutants under different redox conditions.In oxygen-rich surface waters, aerobic heterotrophs lead organic matter breakdown, using oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor to efficiently oxidize substrates to carbon dioxide and water.

Batteries and Fuel Cells

Batteries and Fuel Cells

A battery is a galvanic cell that is used as a source of electrical power for specific applications. Modern batteries exist in a multitude of forms to accommodate various applications, from tiny button batteries such as those that power wristwatches to the very large batteries used to supply backup energy to municipal power grids. Some batteries are designed for single-use applications and cannot be recharged (primary cells), while others are based on conveniently reversible cell reactions that...

Microbes and Methanogenesis

Microbes and Methanogenesis

Methanogenesis is a critical microbial process in anaerobic ecosystems responsible for the biological production of methane, a potent greenhouse gas and valuable biofuel. This metabolic pathway is primarily facilitated by methanogenic archaea, which thrive in anoxic environments such as wetlands, sediments, and animal gastrointestinal tracts. The absence of oxygen in these habitats prevents aerobic respiration, thereby favoring alternative biochemical pathways for organic matter degradation.In...

Microbial Biosensors

Microbial Biosensors

Microbial biosensors are analytical devices that utilize living microbes to detect specific substances through measurable signals. These devices consist of two main components: biosensing organisms and signal-transducing elements. Biosensing organisms, such as Escherichia coli or Saccharomyces cerevisiae, are typically housed in multiwell plates connected to transducers, enabling rapid, real-time detection of target analytes.Signal Generation MechanismWhen a target analyte—such as...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Re-granulation and performance of anaerobically digested bacterial and algal-bacterial aerobic granular sludge.

Journal of environmental management·2025

Same author

Versatile nitrate-respiring heterotrophs are previously concealed contributors to sulfur cycle.

Nature communications·2025

Same author

Efficient removal of manganese ions from waters using hypochlorite-modified granular activated carbon.

Journal of environmental management·2024

Same author

Vapor Nucleation on Hybrid-Wetting Nanoconvex Surfaces: The Competition between Intrinsic Wettability and Topography.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids·2024

Same author

Solid Additive Engineering for Next-generation Organic Photovoltaics.

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)·2024

Same author

Droplet Impact on the Superhydrophobic Surface with Singularities.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Waste Water Derived Electroactive Microbial Biofilms: Growth, Maintenance, and Basic Characterization

Waste Water Derived Electroactive Microbial Biofilms: Growth, Maintenance, and Basic Characterization

Published on: December 29, 2013

Micro-sized microbial fuel cell: a mini-review.

Hsiang-Yu Wang¹, Angela Bernarda, Chih-Yung Huang

¹Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan. hywang@mail.ncku.edu.tw

Bioresource Technology

|August 17, 2010

Summary

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) in micro-sizes offer unique advantages for specific applications. While mL-scale MFCs show promise, μL-scale MFCs face challenges but excel in rapid screening.

More Related Videos

Microfluidic Picoliter Bioreactor for Microbial Single-cell Analysis: Fabrication, System Setup, and Operation

Microfluidic Picoliter Bioreactor for Microbial Single-cell Analysis: Fabrication, System Setup, and Operation

Published on: December 6, 2013

Combustion Characterization and Model Fuel Development for Micro-tubular Flame-assisted Fuel Cells

Combustion Characterization and Model Fuel Development for Micro-tubular Flame-assisted Fuel Cells

Published on: October 2, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Waste Water Derived Electroactive Microbial Biofilms: Growth, Maintenance, and Basic Characterization

Waste Water Derived Electroactive Microbial Biofilms: Growth, Maintenance, and Basic Characterization

Published on: December 29, 2013

Microfluidic Picoliter Bioreactor for Microbial Single-cell Analysis: Fabrication, System Setup, and Operation

Microfluidic Picoliter Bioreactor for Microbial Single-cell Analysis: Fabrication, System Setup, and Operation

Published on: December 6, 2013

Combustion Characterization and Model Fuel Development for Micro-tubular Flame-assisted Fuel Cells

Combustion Characterization and Model Fuel Development for Micro-tubular Flame-assisted Fuel Cells

Published on: October 2, 2016

Area of Science:

Electrochemistry
Environmental Science
Biotechnology

Background:

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are devices converting chemical energy from microbial oxidation into electrical energy.
Performance limitations in MFCs include mass transport, reaction kinetics, and ohmic resistance.
Micro-sized MFCs (mL and μL scales) are developed to address these limitations through optimized electrode design.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the development of micro-sized MFCs (mL and μL scales).
To summarize their characteristics, fabrication, performance, applications, and future directions.
To analyze factors affecting MFC performance and how micro-scale designs manipulate them.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on micro-sized MFC development.
Analysis of electrode materials, surface modifications, and configurations (e.g., two-chamber, air-breathing cathodes).
Comparison of performance metrics (e.g., volumetric power density) between mL-scale and μL-scale MFCs.

Main Results:

Specially designed electrodes with modified surfaces enhance performance in micro-sized MFCs.
mL-scale MFCs with two-chamber or air-breathing cathode configurations show promising results.
μL-scale MFCs generally exhibit lower volumetric power density due to high internal resistance.

Conclusions:

Micro-sized MFCs offer tailored solutions for specific electrochemical applications.
While μL-scale MFCs are not yet suitable for powering conventional equipment, they are valuable for rapid screening of microbes and electrode performance.
Further development is needed to overcome limitations and expand the applications of micro-sized MFCs.