CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 China.
CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Chemistry, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 China.
Biotechnol Adv. 2015 Jan-Feb;33(1):1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2014.12.011. Epub 2015 Jan 2.
Efficient and sustainable technologies for cleaning up of contaminated sediments are under urgent demand. Bioremediation by utilizing the natural metabolic activities of sediment-inhabited microorganisms has been widely accepted as a viable option, but the relatively low efficiency and poor controllability severely limite its application. Here, we bring out the concept that electrochemical approaches may be used as an efficient means to stimulate sediment bioremediation. Although still at the very beginning, benthic microbial fuel cells (BMFC) as a remediation technology show many potential benefits, such as accelerated decontamination, self-sustained operation, relatively easy deployment and control, and environmental benignity. The unique features of BMFC setup and operation also give rise to substantially different challenges compared to conventional MFCs. In this review, we present a critical overview on the characteristics, possible application niches, and state-of-the-art progress of this technology. Especially, the current limitations in respect of system design, electrode selection, microbial control and selection of deployment environment are discussed in details, and the needed future research endeavors to promote its practical application are highlighted.
对于污染沉积物的清理，高效且可持续的技术亟待开发。利用栖息在沉积物中的微生物的自然代谢活动进行生物修复已被广泛认可为一种可行的选择，但相对较低的效率和较差的可控性严重限制了其应用。在这里，我们提出电化学方法可以作为一种有效的手段来刺激沉积物的生物修复。尽管仍处于起步阶段，但作为一种修复技术，底栖微生物燃料电池 (BMFC) 具有许多潜在的优势，例如加速净化、自维持运行、相对容易部署和控制以及环境友好性。与传统的 MFC 相比，BMFC 的设置和操作的独特特点也带来了实质性的不同挑战。在这篇综述中，我们对该技术的特点、可能的应用领域和最新进展进行了批判性的概述。特别地，我们详细讨论了系统设计、电极选择、微生物控制和部署环境选择方面的当前限制，并强调了未来需要开展研究工作以促进其实际应用。
