Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms01:30

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

437
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...
437
Biofilms01:29

Biofilms

446
Biofilms are complex communities of microorganisms encased in a self-produced extracellular polysaccharide matrix attached to surfaces. These microbial consortia can include single or multiple species, providing enhanced survival benefits by forming organized, multilayered structures.The formation of biofilms occurs through four key stages: attachment, colonization, development, and dispersal.During attachment, free-swimming planktonic cells adhere to a surface, often facilitated by...
446
Microbial Nutrition01:28

Microbial Nutrition

511
Organisms exhibit remarkable metabolic diversity, categorized based on how they acquire energy and carbon. These strategies enable survival in various ecological niches and are essential for maintaining energy flow and nutrient cycling within ecosystems.Energy and Carbon SourcesOrganisms are classified as phototrophs or chemotrophs based on energy acquisition. Phototrophs use light as their energy source, while chemotrophs rely on oxidizing chemical compounds. Further differentiation arises...
511
Batteries and Fuel Cells03:12

Batteries and Fuel Cells

28.5K
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...
28.5K
Bioremediation00:46

Bioremediation

21.1K
Bioremediation is the use of prokaryotes, fungi, or plants to remove pollutants from the environment. This process has been used to remove harmful toxins in groundwater as a byproduct of agricultural run-off and also to clean up oil spills.
21.1K
Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs01:15

Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs

309
Chemolithotrophs are microorganisms that obtain energy by oxidizing inorganic molecules such as hydrogen gas (H₂), ammonia (NH₃), reduced sulfur compounds (H₂S, S²⁻), and ferrous iron (Fe²⁺). Unlike heterotrophic organisms that rely on organic carbon, chemolithotrophs transfer electrons from these inorganic donors to the electron transport chain (ETC), generating a proton motive force (PMF) that drives ATP synthesis through oxidative phosphorylation.
309

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Time-dependent cytokine landscapes in an ex vivo microfluidic glioblastoma platform.

Cancer immunology, immunotherapy : CII·2026
Same author

Automated real-time feeding control for microbial electrolysis cell-anaerobic digestion systems using finite state machine.

Scientific reports·2026
Same author

Living buildings with living electronics: towards biologically intelligent biohybrids.

Trends in biotechnology·2026
Same author

Osteopontin-4 (OPN-4) Suppresses Tumor Progression Features Whilst Sensitizing c643 Anaplastic Thyroid Cells to Sorafenib.

Biomedicines·2026
Same author

Investigating the Secreted Proteome of Primary and Metastatic Human Brain Tumour Explants Maintained on a Miniaturised Perfusion Device.

Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.)·2026
Same author

Emerging pathogenetic mechanisms in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: the role of inflammation and gut microbiota.

Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 14, 2025

Waste Water Derived Electroactive Microbial Biofilms: Growth, Maintenance, and Basic Characterization
11:58

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

Published on: December 29, 2013

13.7K

Microbial fuel cells and their electrified biofilms.

John Greenman1, Iwona Gajda1, Jiseon You1

  • 1Bristol BioEnergy Centre, BRL, University of the West of England, Frenchay Campus, BS16 1QY, UK.

Biofilm
|November 3, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are key bioelectrochemical systems (BES) that generate electricity. This review highlights MFC architecture, electrodes, and biofilm properties crucial for their function as living engines.

Keywords:
BioenergyElectricityMicrobial fuel cellPerfusion electrodesSynchrony

More Related Videos

Characterizing Electron Transport through Living Biofilms
08:52

Characterizing Electron Transport through Living Biofilms

Published on: June 1, 2018

8.6K
Self-standing Electrochemical Set-up to Enrich Anode-respiring Bacteria On-site
05:29

Self-standing Electrochemical Set-up to Enrich Anode-respiring Bacteria On-site

Published on: July 24, 2018

7.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 14, 2025

Waste Water Derived Electroactive Microbial Biofilms: Growth, Maintenance, and Basic Characterization
11:58

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

Published on: December 29, 2013

13.7K
Characterizing Electron Transport through Living Biofilms
08:52

Characterizing Electron Transport through Living Biofilms

Published on: June 1, 2018

8.6K
Self-standing Electrochemical Set-up to Enrich Anode-respiring Bacteria On-site
05:29

Self-standing Electrochemical Set-up to Enrich Anode-respiring Bacteria On-site

Published on: July 24, 2018

7.8K

Area of Science:

  • Bioelectrochemistry
  • Microbial Ecology
  • Bioreactor Engineering

Background:

  • Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) encompass various biofilm-based bioreactors, including microbial fuel cells (MFCs), microbial electrolysis cells (MECs), and microbial desalination cells (MDCs).
  • Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are unique among BES for producing harvestable electricity without external power input, unlike MECs and MDCs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • This review focuses on microbial fuel cells (MFCs), detailing their architecture, membranes, electrodes, and biofilm characteristics.
  • To provide insights into the critical factors influencing the performance of MFCs as functional bioelectrical devices.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on bioelectrochemical systems, with a primary focus on microbial fuel cells.
  • Inclusion of previously unpublished supporting data to enhance the analysis of MFC components and performance.
  • Analysis of bioreactor architecture, membrane types, electrode materials, geometry, and biofilm properties.

Main Results:

  • The architecture, membrane, electrode (size, geometry, material), and biofilm (structure, properties, growth rate) are critical for MFC functionality.
  • Microbial biofilms on anodic electrodes are essential for MFCs to operate as 'living engines'.

Conclusions:

  • Microbial fuel cells are promising bioelectrochemical systems for electricity generation.
  • Optimizing MFC design, particularly electrode and biofilm characteristics, is key to maximizing their application potential.