Electrode Surface Modification Strategies for Enhanced Performance of Two-Chambered Microbial Fuel Cell: A Minireview
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/js-2026-1012-5228Keywords:
Microbial Fuel Cell, Double-Chambered MFC, Anode electrode modification, Wastewater treatmentAbstract
Various advancements in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been proposed due to its sustainable method for the treatment of wastewater along with bioelectricity production. That has resulted in tremendous progress toward reducing global demand for energy and environmental problems caused by fossil fuel consumption. One of the key MFC input material that is considered as a main concern is electrode materials. They are critical for the performance of double-chambered microbial fuel cells (DC-MFC) and many other configurations. The aim of this paper is to discuss the effect of various electrode modifications on the efficiency of DC-MFCs. The principles of DC-MFC including anodic oxidation of substrate, reduction of oxygen in cathode chamber and proton exchange membrane mechanism were considered due to their importance in understanding strategies to optimize MFC performance. Different anode materials were modified to enhance biofilm formation, electron transfer kinetics as well as functionalization of electrode surfaces with conductive polymers, metal oxides, graphene derivatives and nanocomposite. Power and current densities were improved as well as significant reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD) which showed pollutant removal capacity. This review also emphasizes scaling up of MFC involved considering surface area of electrode, biocompatibility, stability and cost effectiveness.
References
Ahmed, J., & Kim, S. (2024). Polyaniline nanofiber: An excellent anode material for microbial fuel cells. RSC Advances, 14(46), 34498–34503. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4RA03774J
Borja-Maldonado, F., & López Zavala, M. Á. (2024). Enhancing the efficiency of medium-scale dual-chamber microbial fuel cell systems through the utilization of novel electrodes material and proper selection of catholyte and external resistance. Heliyon, 10(15), e34814. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34814
Chakma, R., Hossain, M. K., Paramasivam, P., Bousbih, R., Amami, M., Toki, G. F. I., Haldhar, R., & Karmaker, A. K. (2025). Recent Applications, Challenges, and Future Prospects of Microbial Fuel Cells: A Review. Global Challenges, 9(5), 2500004. https://doi.org/10.1002/gch2.202500004
Chen, J., Yang, J., Wang, R., Yang, Y., & Liu, Y. (2022). Design and research progress of nano materials in cathode catalysts of microbial fuel cells: A review. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 47(41), 18098-18108.
Choudhury, P., Prasad Uday, U. S., Bandyopadhyay, T. K., Ray, R. N., & Bhunia, B. (2017). Performance improvement of microbial fuel cell (MFC) using suitable electrode and Bioengineered organisms: A review. Bioengineered, 8(5), 471-487.
Dakal, T. C., Singh, N., Kaur, A., Dhillon, P. K., Bhatankar, J., Meena, R., Sharma, R. K., Gadi, B. R., Sahu, B. S., Patel, A., Singh, B., & Kumari, K. (2025). New horizons in microbial fuel cell technology: Applications, challenges, and prospects. Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts, 18(1), 79. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-025-02649-y
Dileep, A., Muhammad, H., Naeemullah, F. H., Amir, Z., Sahid M., & Murwarid, M. K. (2023). Microbial Fuel Cell, Their Type, Working Principle and Different Factors Affecting Their Performance: A Review. Sustainable Chemical Engineering, 121–146. https://doi.org/10.37256/sce.4220233125
Dumitru, A., & Scott, K. (2016). Anode materials for microbial fuel cells Microbial electrochemical and fuel cells (pp. 117-152): Elsevier.
Elangovan, K., Saravanan, P., Campos, C. H., Sanhueza-Gómez, F., Khan, Md. M. R., Chin, S. Y., Krishnan, S., & Viswanathan Mangalaraja, R. (2023). Outline of microbial fuel cells technology and their significant developments, challenges, and prospects of oxygen reduction electrocatalysts. Frontiers in Chemical Engineering, 5, 1228510. https://doi.org/10.3389/fceng.2023.1228510
Eyoel, T., Shuka, Y., Tadesse, S., Tesfaye, T., & Mengesha, M. (2025). Green Energy: Power Generation Improvement in Microbial Fuel Cells Using Bio‐Synthesized Polyaniline‐Coated Co3 O4 Nanocomposite. International Journal of Energy Research, 2025(1), 2936572. https://doi.org/10.1155/er/2936572
Gholami-Kermanshahi, M., Wang, H.-C., Lange, G., & Chang, S.-H. (2025). Surface Modification of Ni‐Foam Electrodes via Acid Etching to Enhance Power‐Generation Efficiency of Microbial Fuel Cells. International Journal of Energy Research, 2025(1), 5552211. https://doi.org/10.1155/er/5552211
Gholami-Kermanshahi, M., Lee, M.-C., Lange, G., & Chang, S.-H. (2024). Effects of N2 plasma modification on the surface properties and electrochemical performance of Ni foam electrodes for double-chamber microbial fuel cells. Materials Advances, 5(13), 5554–5560. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4MA00153B
Haruna, S., Yusuf, H., Gumel, A. M., Buhari, A. S., & Abubakar, U. U. (2024). Generation of Bioelectricity in Microbial Fuel Cell using Kitchen Waste Obtained from Dutse Urban, Nigeria. Dutse Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, 9(4a), 94–104. https://doi.org/10.4314/dujopas.v9i4a.8
Hindatu, Y., Annuar, M., Subramaniam, R., & Gumel, A. (2017a). Medium-chain-length poly-3-hydroxyalkanoates-carbon nanotubes composite anode enhances the performance of microbial fuel cell. Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, 40(6), 919-928. https://doi.10.1007/s00449-017-1756-4
Hindatu, Y., Annuar, M. S. M., & Gumel, A. M. (2017b). Mini-review: Anode modification for improved performance of microbial fuel cell. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 73, 236–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.01.138
Hosain, R., Islam, Md. F., Rahman, Md. O., Halim, Md. A., Islam, M. A., & Alam, Md. J. (2025). Electricity generation in microbial fuel cells: Comparing nanocomposite film-coated and uncoated anodes. Journal of Engineering and Applied Science, 72(1), 225. https://doi.org/10.1186/s44147-025-00791-w
Hussain, R. T., Umar, K., Ahmad, A., Bhawani, S. A., & Alshammari, M. B. (2022). Conventional Electrode Materials for Microbial Fuel Cells. In A. Ahmad, M. N. Mohamad Ibrahim, A. A. Yaqoob, & S. H. Mohd Setapar (Eds.), Microbial Fuel Cells for Environmental Remediation (pp. 83–117). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-2681-5_6
Inamuddin, Ahamed, M. I., Boddula, R., & Rezakazemi, M. (Eds.). (2021). Biofuel cells: Materials and challenges. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119725008
Jafary, T., Mousavi, A., Yeneneh, A. M., Al-Kalbani, M. S., & Al-Wahaibi, B. M. (2026). Recent Advances in Scaling Up Microbial Fuel Cell Systems for Wastewater Treatment, Energy Recovery, and Environmental Sustainability. Sustainability, 18(2), 638. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18020638
Liu, Y., Zhang, X., Zhang, Q., & Li, C. (2020). Microbial fuel cells: nanomaterials based on anode and their application. Energy Technology, 8(9), 2000206.
Mahalingam, S., Ayyaru, S., & Ahn, Y.-H. (2021). Facile one-pot microwave assisted synthesis of rGO-CuS-ZnS hybrid nanocomposite cathode catalysts for microbial fuel cell application. Chemosphere, 278, 130426.
Mkilima, T., Zharkenov, Y., Abduova, A., Kudaibergenov, N., Fazylov, K., Toleubayeva, S., Kirgizbayeva, K., Zhumadilov, I., Jaxymbetova, M., & Zhapparova, A. (2025). Bioelectrochemical degradation of pollutants in wastewater using a dual-chamber microbial fuel cell with graphene-modified electrodes and electroactive bacteria. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering, 11, 101184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101184
Mumtaz, W., M., Mukhtar, H., Miran, W., Alessa, A. H., Waleed, A., Sarwar, Z., & Ashraf, H. (2024). Impact of CeO2 modified cathode and PANI modified anode on tannery wastewater fed microbial fuel cell performance. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 31(8), 104024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2024.104024
Nosek, D., Jachimowicz, P., & Cydzik-Kwiatkowska, A. (2020). Anode modification as an alternative approach to improve electricity generation in microbial fuel cells. Energies, 13(24), 6596.
Pant, D., Van Bogaert, G., Diels, L., & Vanbroekhoven, K. (2010). A review of the substrates used in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for sustainable energy production. Bioresource Technology, 101(6), 1533–1543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2009.10.017
Pant, D., Van Bogaert, G., Porto-Carrero, C., Diels, L., & Vanbroekhoven, K. (2011). Anode and cathode materials characterization for a microbial fuel cell in half cell configuration. Water Science and Technology, 63(10), 2457-2461.
Ramesh, P., Gupta, R., Koventhan, C., Muralitharan, G., Lo, A.-Y., Huang, Y.-J., & Ramasamy, S. (2025). Recent Trends in the Use of Electrode Materials for Microbial Fuel Cells Accentuating the Potential of Photosynthetic Cyanobacteria and Microalgae: A Review. Processes, 13(5), 1348. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13051348
Roy, H., Rahman, T. U., Tasnim, N., Arju, J., Rafid, Md. M., Islam, Md. R., Pervez, Md. N., Cai, Y., Naddeo, V., & Islam, Md. S. (2023). Microbial Fuel Cell Construction Features and Application for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment. Membranes, 13(5), 490. https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes13050490
Salisu, A. B., Yusuf, H., Peter, S. G., Nura, H. G., Haruna, S., & Jamilu, Z. A. (2023). Bioelectricity Generation from Microbial Fuel Cell utilizing Sewage Wastewater and Cow Urine from Dutse Metropolis Jigawa State. UMYU Scientifica, 2(3), 39–45. https://doi.org/10.56919/usci.2323.007
Santoro, C., Arbizzani, C., Erable, B., & Ieropoulos, I. (2017). Microbial fuel cells: From fundamentals to applications. A review. Journal of Power Sources, 356, 225–244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2017.03.109
Savla, N., Anand, R., Pandit, S., & Prasad, R. (2020). Utilization of nanomaterials as anode modifiers for improving microbial fuel cells performance. Journal of Renewable Materials, 8(12), 1581-1605.
Singh, A., Wang, Y., & Ieropoulos, I. A. (2025). The combined effect of a carbon sleeve and carbon veil as an anode electrode in enhancing microbial fuel cell performance. RSC Advances, 15(49), 42113–42120. https://doi.org/10.1039/D5RA05180K
Tesfaye, T., Shuka, Y., Tadesse, S., Eyoel, T., & Mengesha, M. (2025). Improving the power production efficiency of microbial fuel cell by using biosynthesized polyanaline coated Fe3O4 as pencil graphite anode modifier. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 587. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84311-5
Wei, J., Liang, P., & Huang, X. (2011). Recent progress in electrodes for microbial fuel cells. Bioresource technology, 102(20), 9335-9344.
Weldegrum, G. S., Zemedagegnehu, D. A., Demeku, A. M., TesfayeTadesse, T., Demewoz, N. M., Haile, C. T., Gizaw, E. T., Atnafu, T., Hussein, B. A., & Fuli, A. H. (2025). Facial synthesis of reduced grapheneoxide/magnetite nanocomposite for energy generation and toxic metal bioremediation via microbial fuel cells. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 27879. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08458-5
Włodarczyk, P. P., & Włodarczyk, B. (2025). Painted Electrode with Activated Coconut Carbon for Microbial Fuel Cell. Energies, 18(6), 1350. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18061350
Xia, J., Geng, Y., Huang, S., Chen, D., Li, N., Xu, Q., Lu, J. (2021). High-performance anode material based on S and N co-doped graphene/iron carbide nanocomposite for microbial fuel cells. Journal of Power Sources, 512, 230482.
Xu, M., Cobo, M. F.-A., Zeng, D., & Zhang, Y. (2025). Leveraging 3D printing in microbial electrochemistry research: Current progress and future opportunities. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 19(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-025-1921-y
Yaqoob, A. A., Mohamad Ibrahim, M. N., Rafatullah, M., Chua, Y. S., Ahmad, A., & Umar, K. (2020). Recent Advances in Anodes for Microbial Fuel Cells: An Overview. Materials, 13(9), 2078. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13092078
Yu, B., Feng, L., He, Y., Yang, L., & Xun, Y. (2021). Effects of anode materials on the performance and anode microbial community of soil microbial fuel cell. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 401, 123394.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Rahab Gayus, Hindatu Yusuf, Sadiq Haruna, Aliyu Abdullahi Umar
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
