Development of Bioelectrochemical Systems for Environmental Engineering

Dear Colleagues,

Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) are electrochemical systems driven by biocatalysts like microorganisms or enzymes. By the means of infinitely absorbing/delivering electrons, the electrodes could serve as sustainable electron donors/acceptors. For example, by cultivating extracellular-electron-transfer (EET)-capable bacteria on the anode of a microbial fuel cell (MFC), the organic waste can be converted into electricity; when using electrodes of a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) as an endless electron source, hydrogen or valuable products can be formed on the cathode. 

With the accumulated knowledge of EET, the progress of BES research has never slowed down in the past decades. In addition to the advantages of energy production and chemical synthesis created by bioelectrochemistry, BESs are capable of treating a wide range of organic loading of wastewater (applicable to low-strength to high-strength wastewater) and can be applied to highly conductive sewage (such as discharged urine). Moreover, due to the concept of net-zero carbon emissions garnering increasing attentions, BESs provide new developing orientation on biological processes, which make the wastewater treatment process more energy-saving (such as reducing the power consumption of blower operation in the aerobic processes, and so on). Due to the biological and mechanical diversities of EET-capable bacteria, all researchers working on this topic still do not have sufficient consensus on many issues. These issues include the microbial community on the electrode, EET mechanism, effectively enriching EET-capable bacteria, and so on.

Submissions to this Special Issue of Bioengineering on Development of Bioelectrochemical Systems for Environmental Engineering are now invited. Possible topics include (but are not limited to) the following:

Topics

Development/design for MFC/MEC; 

Developing BESs to offer a solution for net zero carbon emissions;

Bioelectrosynthesis of high-added value chemicals;

Characterization of novel electroactive community/isolates.

Contributory authors are invited to submit the research manuscripts for the Special Issue; we also welcome review articles that provide a balanced and comprehensive overview of the latest discoveries in the BES discipline.

Dr. Shiue-Lin Li
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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• bioelectrochemical systems
• microbial fuel cells
• bioelectrosynthesis
• high-added value chemicals
• environmental engineering