(501j) The Integrated Production of Biopolymers, Monomers, and Electricity from Cheap Carbon Sources Using Microbial Fuel Cell Systems

In recent years, microbial fuel cell systems have received extensive attention in the fields of bioenergy and environmental science. Different microbial fuel cell systems have been developed for power generation and wastewater treatment. At present, the application of microbial fuel cells is being extended to the integrated production of electricity and bioproducts. The anode and cathode chambers of microbial fuel cells can provide an ideal fermentation environment for microorganisms to produce valuable compounds. The sustainable production of biopolymers is also one of the current research hotspots. The biocompatibility and biodegradability of these polymer materials endow them with higher application value. Biopolymers are usually composed of one or more types of monomers, and these monomers are often used as important platform compounds in multiple industrial fields. Therefore, the production of monomers still needs to be further developed. This study focuses on the integrated production of monomers, polymers, and electricity using microbial fuel cell systems. The anaerobic environment provided by the anode chamber favors the lactic acid production by lactic acid-producing strains. The aeration in the cathodic chamber can provide an aerobic or microaerophilic environment for efficient accumulation of polyhydroxyalkanoates or their monomers, depending on the characteristics of certain strains. Correspondingly, the electron generation based on microbial metabolism in the anode chamber and the oxygen reduction in the cathode chamber also achieves electricity generation. During this process, the utilization of cheap carbon sources will also achieve the valorization of biomass resources.