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Characteristics of Microbes Involved in Microbial Fuel Cell

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Microbial Fuel Cell

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Abstract

The ability of certain microorganisms to transfer electrons outside the cell has given rise to plethora of applications. These bacteria utilize different electron acceptors – usually metals like iron, manganese etc. In nature, these bacteria play a pivotal role in carbon cycle, metal oxidation or reduction, removal of waste organic matter, decomposition of aromatic compounds etc. Apart from this, certain bacteria known as exoelectrogens can use solid electrodes as terminal electron acceptors. These bacteria are utilized in microbial fuel cells (MFC) for bioenergy in the form of electricity. An MFC is different from the typical fuel cell. In an MFC, bacteria create electrical power by oxidising the organic matter present in wastewater which stabilizes the same at the same time.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India

    Jhansi L. Varanasi & Debabrata Das

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  1. Jhansi L. Varanasi
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  2. Debabrata Das
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  1. Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India

    Debabrata Das

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Varanasi, J.L., Das, D. (2018). Characteristics of Microbes Involved in Microbial Fuel Cell. In: Das, D. (eds) Microbial Fuel Cell. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66793-5_3

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