Speaker
Description
Life is fundamentally based on electrochemistry: in respiration, electrons from the oxidation of substrates are transferred to terminal electron acceptors, generating electrochemical gradients that drive ATP synthesis. Electrogenic microorganisms extend this principle beyond the cell membrane by transferring metabolic electrons to extracellular minerals or solid electrodes. This extracellular electron transfer forms the basis of microbial electrochemistry and enables the direct coupling of microbial metabolism to electrochemical systems.
In this talk, I will introduce the basic principles of microbial electrochemical technologies, with a focus on microbial fuel cells. Starting from microbial respiration and electron transfer in organisms such as Geobacter sulfurreducens, I will show how electroactive biofilms can be cultivated on electrodes and studied using electrochemical and in operando techniques.
Building on these fundamentals, the talk will discuss how microbial electrochemical technologies can contribute to sustainable water, energy, and material cycles1. Wastewater is not merely a stream to be treated, but a large resource containing chemical energy, nutrients, and reusable water. Microbial fuel cells can convert part of this energy into electricity, while related systems may produce hydrogen or methane and support nutrient recovery, sensing, and decentralized sanitation.
Finally, I will critically address the challenges that still limit practical implementation, including scale-up, internal resistance, electrode materials, complex wastewater composition, long-term stability, and economic viability. Rather than replacing established treatment processes, microbial electrochemical technologies may find their future in targeted integration into circular, resource-oriented wastewater treatment schemes.