ABSTRACT
With the increasing concern about the intense global energy crisis and enormous consumption of electrical energy, the utilization of biowaste from various sources for the production of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) has gained a lot of attention in only a few years. This eco-friendly process generates electricity without even the combustion of fossil fuels. To further get into the deep understanding of the MFC technology, an understanding of the various factors such as microbial processes and pros and cons of these systems is needed. Here in this chapter, several types of MFCs such as low-cost MFCs and compost-based MFCs have been explained. The electric properties of the MFC under several conditions such as temperature, electrolyte, and pH have been discussed along with the advantages and disadvantages of MFCs. Also, the factors affecting the effectiveness of MFCs and their application in wastewater treatment, biobattery, and biosensors have extensively been discussed.
