Microbial collaboration in bioelectrochemical systems: Mechanisms and advances towards sustainable biobased products

The pursuit of sustainability in the urban world has prompted the development of innovative biobased strategies to mitigate the impact of industrial and human activities on the environment. One such strategy is leveraging microbial collaboration to minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency to unlock the production of biobased products embracing circular bioeconomy in rapidly functioning bio-electrochemical systems (BES). BES is a diversified technology with manifold applications that use microbial interactions at electrode interface to synthesize new products with enhanced substrate utilization, contributing to both environmental sustainability and industrial efficiency. Considering the significance of microbial collaboration, this review article is intended to discuss the types and benefits of microbial interactions in BES, partnerships in a mixed microbiome, between co-cultures, underlying factors, mechanisms, and approaches to enhance the yield and targeted outcome advocating sustainability. This review provides an overview of current research, advances in microbial synergy, and the challenges in optimizing microbial consortia for industrial applications. Probing and harnessing synergies between microbial groups or specific microbes is expected to play a pivotal role in advancing efficient bioelectrochemical platforms and accelerating the transition towards a resilient, biobased economy.