Mengqian Lu, Shirley Chan, Sofia Babanova et al.

Biotechnology and Bioengineering • 2017

<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:label/><jats:p>Extracellular electron transfer (EET) is a mechanism that enables microbes to respire solid‐phase electron acceptors. These EET reactions most often occur in the absence of oxygen, since oxygen can act as a competitive electron acceptor for many facultative microbes. However, for <jats:italic>Shewanella oneidensis</jats:italic> MR‐1, oxygen may increase biomass development, which could result in an overall increase in EET activity. Here, we studied the effect of oxygen on <jats:italic>S. oneidensis</jats:italic> MR‐1 EET rates using bioelectrochemical systems (BESs). We utilized optically accessible BESs to monitor real‐time biomass growth, and studied the per‐cell EET rate as a function of oxygen and riboflavin concentrations in BESs of different design and operational conditions. Our results show that oxygen exposure promotes biomass development on the electrode, but significantly impairs per‐cell EET rates even though current production does not always decrease with oxygen exposure. Additionally, our results indicated that oxygen can affect the role of riboflavin in EET. Under anaerobic conditions, both current density and per‐cell EET rate increase with the riboflavin concentration. However, as the dissolved oxygen (DO) value increased to 0.42 mg/L, riboflavin showed very limited enhancement on per‐cell EET rate and current generation. Since it is known that oxygen can promote flavins secretion in <jats:italic>S. oneidensis</jats:italic>, the role of riboflavin may change under anaerobic and aerobic conditions. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 96–105. © 2016 The Authors. <jats:italic>Biotechnology and Bioengineering</jats:italic> Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</jats:p></jats:sec>

Laura Rago, Juan A Baeza, Albert Guisasola

Journal of Chemical Technology &amp; Biotechnology • 2017

<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>BACKGROUND</jats:title><jats:p>Microbial electrochemical systems (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MXCs</jats:styled-content>) are an emerging technology aiming at recovering energy contained in wastewaters either as electrical energy in microbial fuel cells (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MFCs</jats:styled-content>) or as hydrogen in microbial electrolysis cells (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MECs</jats:styled-content>). Successful results have been reported with readily biodegradable substrates, but the performance with real complex substrates needs to be evaluated to bridge the gap between lab‐ and full‐scale. This work aims at studying bioelectrochemical hydrogen production using real cheese whey as sole substrate.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>RESULTS</jats:title><jats:p>A microbial consortium able to consume cheese whey to produce electricity or <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">H<jats:sub>2</jats:sub></jats:styled-content> was developed. Cheese whey was fermented mainly by lactic acid bacteria (<jats:italic>Enterococcus</jats:italic> genus) and exoelectrogenic activity was performed by <jats:italic>Geobacter</jats:italic> sp. The coulombic efficiency was 49 ± 8% in the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MFC</jats:styled-content> fed only with cheese whey, which is higher than most previous values reported for <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MFCs</jats:styled-content> fed with dairy products. Good results for <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">H<jats:sub>2</jats:sub></jats:styled-content> production in <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MEC</jats:styled-content> (0.8 <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">L<jats:sub>H2</jats:sub></jats:styled-content> L<jats:sup>−</jats:sup><jats:styled-content style="fixed-case"><jats:sup>1</jats:sup><jats:sub>REACTOR</jats:sub></jats:styled-content> d<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup>) were also obtained.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>CONCLUSION</jats:title><jats:p>The high potentiality of cheese whey as carbon source for bioelectrochemical systems is demonstrated in this study. The populations involved were determined by advanced microbial tools. The efficient selection of a syntrophic consortium to produce <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">H<jats:sub>2</jats:sub></jats:styled-content> directly from cheese whey in a single‐chamber <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MEC</jats:styled-content> was demonstrated. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry</jats:p></jats:sec>

Dong-Mei Piao, Young-Chae Song, Gyung-Geun Oh et al.

Energies • 0

<jats:p>The bioelectrochemical conversion of coal to methane was investigated in an anaerobic batch reactor containing yeast extract and activated carbon. In anaerobic degradation of coal, yeast extract was a good stimulant for the growth of anaerobic microorganisms, and activated carbon played a positive role. An electrostatic field of 0.67 V/cm significantly improved methane production from coal by promoting direct and mediated interspecies electron transfers between exoelectrogenic bacteria and electrotrophic methanogenic archaea. However, the accumulation of coal degradation intermediates gradually repressed the conversion of coal to methane, and the methane yield of coal was only 31.2 mL/g lignite, indicating that the intermediates were not completely converted to methane. By supplementing yeast extract and seed sludge into the anaerobic reactor, the intermediate residue could be further converted to methane under an electrostatic field of 0.67 V/cm, and the total methane yield of coal increased to 98.0 mL/g lignite. The repression of the intermediates to the conversion of coal to methane was a kind of irreversible substrate inhibition. The irreversible substrate inhibition in the conversion of coal to methane could be attenuated under the electrostatic field of 0.67 V/cm by ensuring sufficient biomass through biostimulation or bioaugmentation.</jats:p>

E. M. Sander, B. Virdis, S. Freguia

Water Science and Technology • 2017

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Addition of an external carbon source is usually necessary to guarantee a sufficiently high C/N ratio and enable denitrification in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Alternatively, denitrification processes using autotrophic microorganisms have been proposed i.e., with the use of H2 as electron donor or with the use of cathodic denitrification in bioelectrochemical systems (BES), in which electrons are transferred directly to a denitrifying biofilm. The aim of this work was to investigate and demonstrate the feasibility of applying an easy-to-operate BES as a polishing mechanism for treated secondary clarified effluent from a municipal WWTP, containing low levels of organic matter, buffer capacity and low concentrations of remaining nitrate. In the proposed system, nitrogen removal rates (0.018–0.121 Kg N m−3 d−1) increased with the nitrogen loading rates, suggesting that biofilm kinetics were not rate limiting. The lowest energy consumption for denitrification was 12.7 kWh Kg N−1, equivalent to 0.021 kWh m−3 and could be further reduced by 14% by adding recirculation circuits within both the anode and cathode.</jats:p>

Gyung-Geun Oh, Young-Chae Song, Byung-Uk Bae et al.

Processes • 0

<jats:p>The bioelectrochemical methane production from acetate as a non-fermentable substrate, glucose as a fermentable substrate, and their mixture were investigated in an anaerobic sequential batch reactor exposed to an electric field. The electric field enriched the bulk solution with exoelectrogenic bacteria (EEB) and electrotrophic methanogenic archaea, and promoted direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) for methane production. However, bioelectrochemical methane production was dependent on the substrate characteristics. For acetate as the substrate, the main electron transfer pathway for methane production was DIET, which significantly improved methane yield up to 305.1 mL/g chemical oxygen demand removed (CODr), 77.3% higher than that in control without the electric field. For glucose, substrate competition between EEB and fermenting bacteria reduced the contribution of DIET to methane production, resulting in the methane yield of 288.0 mL/g CODr, slightly lower than that of acetate. In the mixture of acetate and glucose, the contribution of DIET to methane production was less than that of the single substrate, acetate or glucose, due to the increase in the electron equivalent for microbial growth. The findings provide a better understanding of electron transfer pathways, biomass growth, and electron transfer losses depending on the properties of substrates in bioelectrochemical methane production.</jats:p>

Ganesan V. Murugesu, Saifulnizam Abd. Khalid, Hussain Shareef

ASEANA: Science and Education Journal • 0

<jats:p>Microbial fuel cell (MFC) has become new technology in the energy harvesting system. MFC uses the electrolysis concept to convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy. Even though the research in MFC was conducted for the last 60 years, this technology is still not available for commercial use. One of the main drawbacks of this issue could be the involvement of electronics practitioners in the development of electronic control systems. So, to investigate this statement, the authors decide to conduct a bibliometric analysis of MFC research trends for the last 60 years to clarify. This bibliometric analysis is conducted based on five main databases with an accumulation of 15,462 document titles and 108,381 keywords. First, the analysis was done based on the Journal title to analyze the researcher's background and the second analysis was done based on MFC's subject area. Each analysis shows that the MFCs research trend is less focused by electronic practitioners. Authors suggest that more electronic background researchers and the subject area should be concentrated to optimize the power generation from MFC.</jats:p>

M. Post, S. Levenberg, D. Kaplan et al.

Nature Food • 2020

Cellular agriculture is an emerging branch of biotechnology that aims to address issues associated with the environmental impact, animal welfare and sustainability challenges of conventional animal farming for meat production. Cultured meat can be produced by applying current cell culture practices and biomanufacturing methods and utilizing mammalian cell lines and cell and gene therapy products to generate tissue or nutritional proteins for human consumption. However, significant improvements and modifications are needed for the process to be cost efficient and robust enough to be brought to production at scale for food supply. Here, we review the scientific and social challenges in transforming cultured meat into a viable commercial option, covering aspects from cell selection and medium optimization to biomaterials, tissue engineering, regulation and consumer acceptance. Producing meat without the drawbacks of conventional animal agriculture would greatly contribute to future food and nutrition security. This Review Article covers biological, technological, regulatory and consumer acceptance challenges in this developing field of biotechnology.

Árpád Takács, T. Haidegger

Buildings • 2022

The United Nations has long put on the discussion agenda the sustainability challenges of urbanization, which have both direct and indirect effects on future regulation strategies. Undoubtedly, most initiatives target better quality of life, improved access to services & goods and environment protection. As commercial aerial urban transportation may become a feasible research goal in the near future, the connection possibilities between cities and regions scale up. It is expected that the growing number of vertical takeoff & landing vehicles used for passenger and goods transportation will change the infrastructure of the cities, and will have a significant effect on the cityscapes as well. In addition to the widely discussed regulatory and safety issues, the introduction of elevated traffic also raises environmental concerns, which influences the existing and required service and control infrastructure, and thus significantly affects sustainability. This paper provides narrated overview of the most common aspects of safety, licensing and regulations for passenger vertical takeoff & landing vehicles, and highlights the most important aspects of infrastructure planning, design and operation, which should be taken into account to maintain and efficiently operate this new way of transportation, leading to a sustainable urban air mobility ecosystem.

Paul W. O'Toole, Max Paoli

Microbial Biotechnology • 2017

<jats:title>Summary</jats:title><jats:p>Complex communities of microbes live on and in plants, humans and other animals. These communities are collectively referred to as the microbiota or microbiome. Plants and animals evolved to co‐exist with these microbes. In mammals, particular kinds of alteration of the microbiome (dysbiosis) are associated with loss of health, most likely due to loss of microbial metabolites, signalling molecules, or regulators of host pathways. Modern life‐style diseases such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">IBD</jats:styled-content>), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">IBS</jats:styled-content>), type 2 diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome have been linked to dysbiosis. These multifactorial diseases involve multiple risk factors and triggers, depletion of certain gut microbiota species being one of them. Live Biotherapeutics operate by restoring microbial products or activities in affected subjects. They are being developed as adjuncts, alternatives or new treatment options for diseases that affect a growing proportion of global citizens.</jats:p>

Ian M. Head, Neil D. Gray

Microbial Biotechnology • 2016

<jats:title>Summary</jats:title><jats:p>This roadmap examines the future of microbiology research and technology in fossil fuel energy recovery. Globally, the human population will be reliant on fossil fuels for energy and chemical feedstocks for at least the medium term. Microbiology is already important in many areas relevant to both upstream and downstream activities in the oil industry. However, the discipline has struggled for recognition in a world dominated by geophysicists and engineers despite widely known but still poorly understood microbially mediated processes e.g. reservoir biodegradation, reservoir souring and control, microbial enhanced oil recovery. The role of microbiology is even less understood in developing industries such as shale gas recovery by fracking or carbon capture by geological storage. In the future, innovative biotechnologies may offer new routes to reduced emissions pathways especially when applied to the vast unconventional heavy oil resources formed, paradoxically, from microbial activities in the geological past. However, despite this potential, recent low oil prices may make industry funding hard to come by and recruitment of microbiologists by the oil and gas industry may not be a high priority. With regards to public funded research and the imperative for cheap secure energy for economic growth in a growing world population, there are signs of inherent conflicts between policies aimed at a low carbon future using renewable technologies and policies which encourage technologies which maximize recovery from our conventional and unconventional fossil fuel assets.</jats:p>

Zhou Fang, Sichao Cheng, Hui Wang et al.

RSC Advances • 0

<p>Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were embedded into constructed wetlands to form microbial fuel cell coupled constructed wetlands (CW-MFCs) and were used for simultaneous azo dye wastewater treatment and bioelectricity generation.</p>

Hemma Philamore, I. Ieropoulos, A. Stinchcombe et al.

Soft Robotics • 2016

Abstract A significant goal of robotics is to develop autonomous machines, capable of independent and collective operation free from human assistance. To operate with complete autonomy robots must be capable of independent movement and total energy self-sufficiency. We present the design of a soft robotic mouth and artificial stomach for aquatic robots that will allow them to feed on biomatter in their surrounding environment. The robot is powered by electrical energy generated through bacterial respiration within a microbial fuel cell (MFC) stomach, and harvested using state-of-the-art voltage step-up electronics. Through innovative exploitation of compliant, biomimetic actuation, the soft robotic feeding mechanism enables the connection of multiple MFC stomachs in series configuration in an aquatic environment, previously a significant challenge. We investigate how a similar soft robotic feeding mechanism could be driven by electroactive polymer artificial muscles from the same bioenergy supply. This wo...

J. Aguzzi, C. Costa, M. Calisti et al.

Sensors • 2021

Mechatronic and soft robotics are taking inspiration from the animal kingdom to create new high-performance robots. Here, we focused on marine biomimetic research and used innovative bibliographic statistics tools, to highlight established and emerging knowledge domains. A total of 6980 scientific publications retrieved from the Scopus database (1950–2020), evidencing a sharp research increase in 2003–2004. Clustering analysis of countries collaborations showed two major Asian-North America and European clusters. Three significant areas appeared: (i) energy provision, whose advancement mainly relies on microbial fuel cells, (ii) biomaterials for not yet fully operational soft-robotic solutions; and finally (iii), design and control, chiefly oriented to locomotor designs. In this scenario, marine biomimicking robotics still lacks solutions for the long-lasting energy provision, which presently hinders operation autonomy. In the research environment, identifying natural processes by which living organisms obtain energy is thus urgent to sustain energy-demanding tasks while, at the same time, the natural designs must increasingly inform to optimize energy consumption.

Anwar Elhadad, Yang Gao, Seokheun Choi

Advanced Materials Technologies • 2024

Aquatic mobile robots are gaining attention for their potential to revolutionize marine monitoring and exploration within the Ocean Internet of Things. A significant challenge for these untethered robots, especially in remote areas, is achieving energy autonomy. This work presents an innovative self‐sustaining energy system for compact aquatic robots, inspired by biological digestion. Utilizing microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology, organic materials found in aquatic environments are converted into electricity through catalytic redox reactions. To extend the MFC's lifespan, spore‐forming Bacillus subtilis is used as the anodic biocatalyst, leveraging its ability to endure harsh conditions and reactivate in favorable environments, thus enhancing the MFC's longevity. To ensure a steady supply of organic substrates for microbial viability, a biomimetic Janus membrane with asymmetric surface wettability is integrated, enabling selective substrate intake. Additionally, stability mechanisms inspired by water striders allow the robot to move efficiently across water surfaces. The robot mimics the water strider's movement using a motor powered by microbial metabolism, fueled by organic nutrients via the Janus membrane. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using natural processes for technological advancement, setting new benchmarks in the design of autonomous systems.

Ripel Chakma, M. K. Hossain, P. Paramasivam et al.

Global Challenges • 2025

Microbial fuel cell (MFC), a clean and promising technology that has the potential to tackle both environmental degradation and the global energy crisis, receives tremendous attention from researchers over recent years. The performance of each system component, including the membrane and electrode utilized in MFCs, has a great effect on the efficiency of converting chemical energy found in organic waste to power generation through bacterial metabolism. The MFCs have diverse applications that are growing day by day in developed countries. This review discusses recently available various potential applications including wastewater treatment, biohydrogen production, hazardous waste removal, generation of bioelectricity, robotics, biosensors, etc. There are still several challenges (e.g., system complexity, economic, commercialization, and other operational factors) for large‐scale practical applications, particularly for relatively low power output and delayed start‐up time, which is also reported in this review article. Moreover, the operational factors (e.g., electrode materials, proton exchange system, substrate, electron transfer mechanism, pH, temperature, external resistance, and shear stress and feed rate) that affect the performance of MFCs, are discussed in detail. To resolve these issues, optimizations of various parameters are also presented. In the previously published studies, this paper indicates that MFCs have demonstrated power densities ranging from 2.44 to 3.31 W m−2, with Coulombic efficiencies reaching up to 55.6% under optimized conditions. It is also reported that MFCs have achieved the removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), and antibiotics up to 93.7%, 70%, and 98%, respectively. Finally, this paper highlights the future perspective of MFCs for full‐scale applications.

M. Halim, M. Ibrahim, Md Rasel Molla et al.

2019 1st International Conference on Advances in Science, Engineering and Robotics Technology (ICASERT) • 2019

Demand of energy is increasing in the whole part of the world, it is estimated that in near future a significant energy crisis will be occurred. Furthermore, fossil fuels play a noticeable role for environmental pollutions. So, an alternative clean and environmental amiable renewable energy source is the most significant demand for the modern scientists. Bio-fuel cell especially microbial fuel cell can partially eliminate this crisis by producing electricity from biodegradable waste. Considering this aspect we produced double chamber MFCs where Zinc and copper plates are used as anode and cathode materials. In this study urine and fish waste mixed waste water are used as a source of substrate, aerobic bacteria helps to decompose it, in anode chamber where oxygen amplifies the reduction reaction in cathode chamber. To find out the effects of urine and fish waste on the performance of voltage, current and power we used digital multimeter and Hantek 365A data logger. Urine mixed waste water gives the maximum voltage 1.02 V, current 1.67 mA and power 1.7034 mW, whereas, for fish mixed waste water these values were 0.968 V, 1.365 mA and 1.3213 mW respectively. The whole operation we done batch wise, initial pH 8 and cell volume was 5 liter.

Sheikh Shehab Uddin, Kazi Shoffiuddin Roni, F. Kabir et al.

2019 International Conference on Robotics,Electrical and Signal Processing Techniques (ICREST) • 2019

This research paper analyzes the performance of Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) under aerobic condition for drain sludge, tannery sludge and Turag sludge. Starch of boiled rice was applied as source of carbohydrates for the growth of bacteria. Saltbridge was used as the membrane. Water was placed in cathode chamber as electron acceptor. A total number of three experiments were carried out throughout the research and all of them were observed for seven days. A fixed amount of sludge (0.5L), substrate (0.5L) and water (1L) was used. Analysis of the MFCs constructed during this research work is based on the obtained current density and power density from each experiment across different loads. In this study 220.77 mV was measured as highest voltage across while 12.23 mA/m2 and 2.7 mW/m2 were recorded as maximum current density and power density respectively for Turag sludge.

Qing-zhu Luo, Aimin An, Minmin Wang

Proceedings of the 2019 4th International Conference on Robotics, Control and Automation • 2019

Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) is efficient and clean power supply equipment, but serious nonlinearities exist when the MFC runs, so, how to guarantee its output voltage to reach the setting curve quickly and smoothly is a significant topic. To manipulate the feeding flow is an effective way to achieve this goal; especially the satisfactory results can be received through manipulating anode feeding flow. The working point in the MFC running process is linearized in the localized region to obtain the equivalent state space description using the model reference adaptive control algorithm in this study, so the output voltage of MFC can be effectively controlled. Simulation results indicate that the model reference adaptive control algorithm can quickly and smoothly control the voltage output of MFC's voltage tracking reference model. MFC has better performance in rapidity and accuracy after using the algorithm. This is of great significance for MFC to provide stable energy supply for the external load.

Upal Barua Joy, Mohammed Moin Uddin, Nayeem Uddin Ahmed Khan et al.

2023 3rd International Conference on Robotics, Electrical and Signal Processing Techniques (ICREST) • 2023

Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) uses bio-electrochemical process to generate electricity. It is considered as a new approach in renewable energy generation. However, due to low output voltage and current, supplying power to loads from MFC is quite challenging. Research so far done on MFC mainly focused on material analysis, creating new designs, bacterial activity in MFC and so on. But very few attempts have been done on delivering power to loads from MFC. In this research, using waste water as input, three Double chamber MFCs and two single chamber membrane-less MFCs have been constructed using Aluminum as anode and Copper as cathode. Constructed MFCs were connected in series which generated maximum 2.6 V. The MFC combination could light up a small Light Emitting Diode (LED).

John Greenman, Arjuna Mendis, Jiseon You et al.

Frontiers in Robotics and AI • 0

<jats:p>On the roadmap to building completely autonomous artificial bio-robots, all major aspects of robotic functions, namely, energy generation, processing, sensing, and actuation, need to be self-sustainable and function in the biological realm. Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) provide a platform technology for achieving this goal. In a series of experiments, we demonstrate that MFCs can be used as living, autonomous sensors in robotics. In this work, we focus on thermal sensing that is akin to thermoreceptors in mammalian entities. We therefore designed and tested an MFC-based thermosensor system for utilization within artificial bio-robots such as EcoBots. In open-loop sensor characterization, with a controlled load resistance and feed rate, the MFC thermoreceptor was able to detect stimuli of 1 min directed from a distance of 10 cm causing a temperature rise of ∼1°C at the thermoreceptor. The thermoreceptor responded to continuous stimuli with a minimum interval of 384 s. In a practical demonstration, a mobile robot was fitted with two artificial thermosensors, as environmental thermal detectors for thermotactic application, mimicking thermotaxis in biology. In closed-loop applications, continuous thermal stimuli were detected at a minimum time interval of 160 s, without the need for complete thermoreceptor recovery. This enabled the robot to detect thermal stimuli and steer away from a warmer thermal source within the rise of 1°C. We envision that the thermosensor can be used for future applications in robotics, including as a potential sensor mechanism for maintaining thermal homeostasis.</jats:p>

Michail-Antisthenis Tsompanas, Jiseon You, Hemma Philamore et al.

Frontiers in Robotics and AI • 0

<jats:p>The development of biodegradable soft robotics requires an appropriate eco-friendly source of energy. The use of Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) is suggested as they can be designed completely from soft materials with little or no negative effects to the environment. Nonetheless, their responsiveness and functionality is not strictly defined as in other conventional technologies, i.e. lithium batteries. Consequently, the use of artificial intelligence methods in their control techniques is highly recommended. The use of neural networks, namely a nonlinear autoregressive network with exogenous inputs was employed to predict the electrical output of an MFC, given its previous outputs and feeding volumes. Thus, predicting MFC outputs as a time series, enables accurate determination of feeding intervals and quantities required for sustenance that can be incorporated in the behavioural repertoire of a soft robot.</jats:p>

Zhongcheng Lei, Hong Zhou, Wenshan Hu et al.

IEEE Transactions on Power Systems • 2024

Power systems are a crucial infrastructure to ensure a sustainable supply of electricity and are thus important for industrial, commercial and domestic consumption. As an interactive and visualizing enabling technology, the digital twin can be effectively applied to the training and education of students and operators in power systems. This article discusses a web-based communication system of power systems (CSPS) constructed with digital twin technologies, and provides a digital replica of the communication system and process as well as the remote monitoring and control of the physical system, the detailed design and implementation of which are presented. The functionalities and uses of the digital twin CSPS are also provided. To illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed digital twin CSPS, a case study with optical fiber line fault detection that emulates a real scenario is conducted, which includes remote control-based digital twin interactions and visualization.

J. K. Wallace, S. Rider, E. Serabyn et al.

Optics Express • 2015

Recent advances in digital technologies, such as high-speed computers and large-format digital imagers, have led to a burgeoning interest in the science and engineering of digital holographic microscopy (DHM). Here we report on a novel off-axis DHM, based on a twin-beam optical design, which avoids the limitations of prior systems, and provides many advantages, including compactness, intrinsic stability, robustness against misalignment, ease of use, and cost. These advantages are traded for a physically constrained sample volume, as well as a fixed fringe spacing. The first trade is not overly restrictive for most applications, and the latter provides for a pre-set assembly alignment that optimizes the spatial frequency sampling. Moreover, our new design supports use in both routine laboratory settings as well as extreme environments without any sacrifice in performance, enabling ready observation of microbial species in the field. The instrument design is presented in detail here, along with a demonstration of bacterial video imaging at sub-micrometer resolution at temperatures down to -15 °C.

C. Hayward, Harriet Whiley, N. J. Ashbolt

Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases • 2025

PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review examines the interplay between biological and anthropogenic factors in the development and persistence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) within building plumbing systems, which is of particular concern in high risk setting such as healthcare facilities. The review highlights the role of biofilms and amoeba as reservoirs for AMR and explores how engineering and design decisions, governance structures, and cleaning protocols influence microbial resistance dynamics. RECENT FINDINGS Biofilms provide a protective environment that facilitates horizontal gene transfer and enhances bacterial resistance to disinfection. Amoeba-hosted bacteria can evade standard cleaning practices, further promoting AMR persistence. Emerging technologies, such as digital twin modelling, offer new opportunities to optimize risk mitigation strategies. However, more consideration is needed to be given to design or management decision that may have unintended consequences, such as unintended design outcomes, such as increased biofilm growth from tap mixers and low-flow fixtures, and ineffective cleaning protocols, which can inadvertently worsen AMR. SUMMARY Effectively managing AMR in plumbing systems requires a multidisciplinary approach that integrates microbiology, engineering, and policy. Data driven risk assessments can identify high-risk areas that may require design changes but also can enable targeted cleaning strategies, reducing reliance on widespread disinfection that may drive resistance. Future policies must consider system-wide implications to prevent unintended consequences. By addressing both biological and anthropogenic drivers, we can develop sustainable solutions to mitigate AMR risks in healthcare and beyond.

Fatemeh Sarshartehrani, Anthony Lee, Mohamed Azab et al.

2024 IEEE 15th Annual Ubiquitous Computing, Electronics &amp;amp; Mobile Communication Conference (UEMCON) • 2024

Critical infrastructures, such as water treatment plants (WTPs) and communication networks, are vital to our daily lives, providing essential resources. As these infrastructures increasingly rely on computer systems and internet networks, conducting cybersecurity training on expensive, real-world equipment becomes impractical due to the risk of operational interruptions. To address this challenge, we present a Digital Twin training platform that simulates three key cybersecurity concepts: Input Manipulation, Output Manipulation, and Denial of Service attacks, within the context of WTPs. These concepts are mapped to four critical functions: water level, chlorine level, water temperature, and the microbial water purification process. This paper primarily focuses on the design and development of the VR component of our digital twin platform, as well as the integration process with our hardware testbed. Initial investigations demonstrated significant potential for the experiential learning platform, serving as an effective tool for educating users about cybersecurity issues in mission-critical facilities such as WTPs.

Bichar Dip Shrestha Gurung, Manish Rayamajhi, Naina Maharjan et al.

• 2025

Urban wastewater microbiomes are complex and temporally dynamic, offering valuable insight into community-scale microbial ecology and potential public health trends. However, existing wastewater-based studies often remain descriptive, lacking tools for predictive modeling. In this study, we introduce a digital twin framework that forecasts microbial abundance trajectories in urban wastewater using an interpretable generative model, Q-net. Trained on a 30-week longitudinal metagenomic dataset from seven wastewater treatment plants, the model captures temporal microbial dynamics with high fidelity (R2>0.97 for key taxa; R2=0.998 at the final timepoint). Beyond accurate forecasting, Q-net provides transparent model structure through conditional inference trees and enables simulation of realistic microbial trends under hypothetical scenarios. This work demonstrates the potential of digital twins to move wastewater microbiome studies from static snapshots to dynamic, predictive systems, with broad implications for environmental monitoring and microbial ecosystem modeling.

Jianye Xia, Dongjiao Long, Min Chen et al.

• 2025

As a strategic emerging industry, biomanufacturing faces core challenges in achieving precise optimization and efficient scale-up of fermentation processes. This review focuses on two critical aspects of fermentation-real-time sensing and intelligent control-and systematically summarizes the advancements in online monitoring technologies, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven optimization strategies, and digital twin applications. First, online monitoring technologies, ranging from conventional parameters (e.g., temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen) to advanced sensing systems (e.g., online viable cell sensors, spectroscopy, and exhaust gas analysis), provide a data foundation for real-time microbial metabolic state characterization. Second, conventional static control relying on expert experience is evolving toward AI-driven dynamic optimization. The integration of machine learning technologies (e.g., artificial neural networks and support vector machines) and genetic algorithms significantly enhances the regulation efficiency of feeding strategies and process parameters. Finally, digital twin technology, integrating real-time sensing data with multi-scale models (e.g., cellular metabolic kinetics and reactor hydrodynamics), offers a novel paradigm for lifecycle optimization and rational scale-up of fermentation. Future advancements in closed-loop control systems based on intelligent sensing and digital twin are expected to accelerate the industrialization of innovative achievements in synthetic biology and drive biomanufacturing toward higher efficiency, intelligence, and sustainability.

Daniel Ayala-Ruiz, A. Atoche, E. Ruiz-Ibarra et al.

Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing • 2019

Long power wide area networks (LPWAN) systems play an important role in monitoring environmental conditions for smart cities applications. With the development of Internet of Things (IoT), wireless sensor networks (WSN), and energy harvesting devices, ultra-low power sensor nodes (SNs) are able to collect and monitor the information for environmental protection, urban planning, and risk prevention. This paper presents a WSN of self-powered IoT SNs energetically autonomous using Plant Microbial Fuel Cells (PMFCs). An energy harvesting device has been adapted with the PMFC to enable a batteryless operation of the SN providing power supply to the sensor network. The low-power communication feature of the SN network is used to monitor the environmental data with a dynamic power management strategy successfully designed for the PMFC-based LoRa sensor node. Environmental data of ozone (O3) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are monitored in real time through a web application providing IoT cloud services with security and privacy protocols.

Edith Osorio de la Rosa, J. V. Castillo, Mario Carmona Campos et al.

Sensors • 2019

The emergence of modern technologies, such as Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), the Internet-of-Things (IoT), and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications, involves the use of batteries, which pose a serious environmental risk, with billions of batteries disposed of every year. However, the combination of sensors and wireless communication devices is extremely power-hungry. Energy Harvesting (EH) is fundamental in enabling the use of low-power electronic devices that derive their energy from external sources, such as Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC), solar power, thermal and kinetic energy, among others. Plant Microbial Fuel Cell (PMFC) is a prominent clean energy source and a step towards the development of self-powered systems in indoor and outdoor environments. One of the main challenges with PMFCs is the dynamic power supply, dynamic charging rates and low-energy supply. In this paper, a PMFC-based energy harvester system is proposed for the implementation of autonomous self-powered sensor nodes with IoT and cloud-based service communication protocols. The PMFC design is specifically adapted with the proposed EH circuit for the implementation of IoT-WSN based applications. The PMFC-EH system has a maximum power point at 0.71 V, a current density of 5 mA cm−2, and a power density of 3.5 mW cm−2 with a single plant. Considering a sensor node with a current consumption of 0.35 mA, the PMFC-EH green energy system allows a power autonomy for real-time data processing of IoT-based low-power WSN systems.

J. Estrada-López, J. Vázquez-Castillo, A. Castillo-Atoche et al.

Energies • 2023

Intelligent sensing systems based on the edge-computing paradigm are essential for the implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) and Agriculture 4.0 applications. The development of edge-computing wireless sensing systems is required to improve the sensor’s accuracy in soil and data interpretation. Therefore, measuring and processing data at the edge, rather than sending it back to a data center or the cloud, is still an important issue in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). The challenge under this paradigm is to achieve a sustainable operation of the wireless sensing system powered with alternative renewable energy sources, such as plant microbial fuel cells (PMFCs). Consequently, the motivation of this study is to develop a sustainable forage-grass-power fuel cell solution to power an IoT Long-Range (LoRa) network for soil monitoring. The stenotaphrum secundatum grass plant is used as a microbial fuel cell proof of concept, implemented in a 0.015 m3-chamber with carbon plates as electrodes. The BQ25570 integrated circuit is employed to harvest the energy in a 4 F supercapacitor, which achieves a maximum generation capacity of 1.8 mW. The low-cost pH SEN0169 and the SHT10 temperature and humidity sensors are deployed to analyze the soil parameters. Following the edge-computing paradigm, the inverse problem methodology fused with a system identification solution is conducted, correcting the sensor errors due to non-linear hysteresis responses. An energy power management strategy is also programmed in the MSP430FR5994 microcontroller unit, achieving average power consumption of 1.51 mW, ∼19% less than the energy generated by the forage-grass-power fuel cell. Experimental results also demonstrate the energy sustainability capacity achieving a total of 18 consecutive transmissions with the LoRa network without the system’s shutting down.

Helbert da Rocha, Paolo Caruso, J. Pereira et al.

Sensors • 2023

Everyday tasks use sensors to monitor and provide information about processes in different scenarios, such as monitoring devices in manufacturing or homes. Sensors need to communicate, with or without wires, while providing secure information. Power can be derived from various energy sources, such as batteries, electrical power grids, and energy harvesting. Energy harvesting is a promising way to provide a sustainable and renewable source to power sensors by scavenging and converting energy from ambient energy sources. However, low energy is harvested through these methods. Therefore, it is becoming a challenge to design and deploy wireless sensor networks while ensuring the sensors have enough power to perform their tasks and communicate with each other through careful management and optimization, matching energy supply with demand. For this reason, data cryptography and authentication are needed to protect sensor communication. This paper studies how energy harvested with microbial fuel cells can be employed in algorithms used in data protection during sensor communication.

Masato Niwa, Zhenni Pan, S. Shimamoto

2020 IEEE 17th Annual Consumer Communications &amp; Networking Conference (CCNC) • 2020

The low power consumption in mW of the IEEE802.15.4/ZigBee standard is one of its feature, even though it requires the exchange of batteries. The cost of battery exchange for wireless sensors is considered as one of the critical problems for wireless sensor networks (WSN). Sediment microbial fuel cell (SMFC) can be a promising technology to replace conventional energy sources by renewable energy sources for wireless sensors, which has the potential to supply sustainable WSN without a replacement of batteries. However, SMFC cannot drive a microcontroller directly since it only provides ultra-low voltage and ultra-low current. In addition, from a general perspective, SMFC is costly to build for wireless sensors due to its materials costs. Considered about those challenges, this paper proposed a novel energy harvesting system for the ZigBee network which consists of the SMFC sensor and a power management circuit to accumulate adequate energy for load. Intermittent data transmission between the ZigBee end-device and coordinator is conducted with the designed energy harvesting system. The experimental results showed that the SMFC-powered ZigBee sensor device is eligible to enable intermittent communication in replacement of conventional battery.

E. Osorio-de-la-Rosa, J. Vázquez-Castillo, A. Castillo-Atoche et al.

IEEE Sensors Journal • 2021

Plant–Microbial Fuel Cell (P–MFC) is a renewable power source which generates bioelectricity through the plant-microbe interrelationship at the rhizosphere region of a plant. As a step toward sustainable wireless sensing, PMFC can harness the metabolism of microorganism as a catalyst and use organic matter to generate electrical energy. However, these energy sources tend to produce low power outputs (mW), and the P–MFC energy capacity can be affected by perturbations. The P–MFC needs to be analyzed for an accurate integration in harvester circuits and wireless technologies, such as LPWAN, to develop sustainable wireless communication applications. In this study, a P–MFC array is implemented as a promising self-sustainable green energy communication technology for Internet of Things (IoT)-based wireless sensor network (WSN). The serial-parallel configuration of the Dypsis lutescens plant type is characterized and adapted with an energy harvester (EH) circuit which manages the energy from P–MFC. An energy capacity model is proposed to analyze the supercapacitor’s charge response and the recovery effect after each Long-Range (LoRa) transmission of the sensor node. The integration of a power management strategy is used to improve the sustainable operation in each sensor node. Experimental results show an open circuit voltage of 1.75 V, and a short current circuit of 5.6 mA for the serial-parallel configuration of the P–MFC array. The test-scenarios demonstrate sustainable operation of the LoRa-WSNs after one month with a daily generation capacity of 80 J, which is sufficient for the WSN’s node operation.

Soichiro Hirose, Trang Nakamoto, Kozo Taguchi

Resourceedings • 0

<jats:p>Environmental pollution is one of the problems that humankind must solve for a sustainable future. Monitoring of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) is an important indicator for monitoring the status of organic pollution in water. However, conventional methods for monitoring COD face high costs and complicated design issues. In this study, the use of microbial fuel cells (MFC) composed of low-cost and easy-to-fabricate electrodes using smoked charcoal from rice husks and Japanese ink was investigated for use in COD sensors. Rice husks are an industrial waste product. Therefore, they can be used at a low cost, and using them can help solve the waste problem, which is one of the causes of environmental pollution. With these materials, the electrodes were fabricated for the cost of $0.022/cm3. In addition, floating MFC was used for the sake of sensing COD in rivers, waterways, and lakes. The high physical stability of the block-shaped electrode used in this study allowed a biofilm to form on the anode surface by inserting the anode into the soil. The block-shaped electrodes were physically stable in solution. The results showed that there was a correlation between COD concentration (30~150 mg/L) and MFC voltage for more than four months. Block-shaped electrodes fabricated with rice husk smoked charcoal and Japanese ink would be a promising electrode for MFC to monitor COD in solution in real-time.</jats:p>

A. Revil, P. Fernandez, D. Mao et al.

The Leading Edge • 2015

<jats:p> A bioelectrochemical system was developed to facilitate biodegradation of an organic contaminant (propylene glycol) using a sandbox containing an iron bar that crossed the capillary fringe. In the days following the introduction of the organic contaminant, a strong negative electric potential anomaly (on the order of −35 to 50 mV) was observed at the top surface of the sandbox, evidencing the transport of electrons in the metallic bar and the degradation of the organic contaminant. The iron bar served to transmit electrons between the electron donor (i.e., biodegradation of the propylene glycol) and oxygen used as the terminal electron acceptor. Numerical modeling indicates that the source of current associated with the electric potential anomaly is at the position of the iron bar. The monitoring of this anomaly possibly can be used to monitor the amount of electrons passing through the electronic conductor and the radius of influence of the bioelectrochemical cells with respect to biodegradation of the organic contaminant. </jats:p>

Lu Li, Zeliang Zhu, Yi Yang et al.

2024 3rd Asian Conference on Frontiers of Power and Energy (ACFPE) • 2024

With the rapid growth in the scale of renewable energy in China, the number of trading entities is increasing and trading activities are becoming more and more frequent. There has been a phenomenon of unidentified green power sources and irregular transactions. Therefore, it is necessary to improve and standardize the rules and standards system of the renewable energy market. Blockchain technology shows great potential to break through technical bottlenecks, eliminate energy islands, and promote the gridding of energy markets by virtue of its traceability, immutability of information, and decentralization. This paper analyzes in detail the examples of blockchain technology applied to renewable energy transactions at home and abroad, and closely combines of China policy orientation and national conditions to comprehensively examine and reveal various problems currently facing of China renewable energy blockchain field. On the basis of these analyses, specific and feasible suggestions are put forward to provide useful ideas and references for the healthy and sustainable development of renewable energy blockchain in China.

Souvik Sengupta, Banhirup Sengupta, Amir Sinaeepourfard et al.

2024 6th International Conference on Blockchain Computing and Applications (BCCA) • 2024

Organizations worldwide are under pressure to reduce their use of non-renewable energy sources and carbon emissions due to their increasing negative impact on the ongoing climate crisis. Blockchain technology, popularized by its use in Bitcoin, has been adopted for various use cases but is criticized for its high energy consumption, depending on the consensus mechanism used. Consensus mechanisms are vital for securing blockchain networks by ensuring all nodes agree on the ledger’s state, but they often trade-off between low energy consumption and high security. This paper analyzes the critical factors contributing to power consumption in blockchain networks, focusing on consensus mechanisms and hashing techniques. Through a comprehensive State-of-the-Art (SOTA) review and algorithmic analysis, we examine how various consensus algorithms impact energy usage and detail the computational and space complexities of different hashing algorithms. We also investigate the energy profiles and reduction strategies of major blockchain platforms. Our findings highlight the potential to enhance blockchain energy efficiency without compromising security or performance, providing a foundation for future research in sustainable blockchain technologies.

Yongjun Lv

Frontiers in Energy Research • 2023

The pressing issues of climate change and the limited availability of non-renewable energy resources have created a growing need for sustainable energy alternatives. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the pressing need for sustainable energy solutions and the complex relationship between energy and the economy. The challenges and opportunities presented by the transition to sustainable energy sources are explored, including the need for investment in renewable energy technologies, policy changes to incentivize sustainable energy use, and the potential for job creation in the sustainable energy sector. On the other hand, it is recognized that there are considerable hurdles that need to be addressed, including the substantial initial expenses associated with establishing renewable energy systems, as well as the political and societal barriers to enacting change. The economic benefits of transitioning to sustainable energy, such as improved energy security, reduced dependence on fossil fuels, and the potential for increased economic growth, are evaluated. The complex relationship between energy and the economy is thoroughly analyzed, presenting a valuable contribution to the academic literature on sustainable energy. Furthermore, an inquiry is being made into the potential contribution of blockchain technology in advancing a sustainable energy landscape. This includes its ability to augment the effectiveness and openness of energy markets, as well as its capacity to assist in the assimilation of renewable energy resources. Hence, this research underscores the importance of transitioning to sustainable energy sources for their environmental and economic merits. The findings presented offer valuable insights to inform policy decisions and guide future research endeavors in this field. By promoting the advancement of sustainable energy technologies, this study contributes to the development of a more sustainable global economy.

Meriem Aoudia, Mustafa B. M. Alaraj, Omnia Abu Waraga et al.

Frontiers in Energy Research • 2024

With the rise of the 3Ds—decarbonization, decentralization, and digitalization—the number of electric vehicles is projected to increase, necessitating the implementation of modern technologies to avoid unnecessary energy wastage. Numerous studies have been developed proposing electric vehicle (EV) charging frameworks in networks empowered by renewable energy resources. In addition, more focus has recently been directed on incorporating blockchain technology to assure security and transparency in trading systems. However, fewer studies have delved into developing a practical implementation of their solution due to the complexity of the topic. Therefore, this paper thoroughly investigates integrating blockchain technology in electric vehicle charging systems, analyzing the existing practical implementation and their characteristics. It comprises 48 relevant studies between 2017 and 2023, covering the following main research areas: (i) renewable energy-based electric charging systems, (ii) blockchain frameworks used in energy trading, and (iii) performance metrics of simulated and implemented solutions. Results show that blockchain applications in EVs and energy trading systems are highly current, and researchers are actively exploring ways to improve their efficiency and effectiveness.

Shyam Agarwal, Shailesh Kapoor, Amit Jain

2024 IEEE 3rd International Conference on Electrical Power and Energy Systems (ICEPES) • 2024

The integration of renewable energy sources and technological advancements in the electricity grid has revolutionized the energy sector, paving way for the smart grid. Within this smart grid framework, prosumers possessing surplus energy aim to sell their surplus energy to consumers. However, conventional centralized energy trading methods used in smart grid for energy exchange poses challenges. To overcome these challenges, a decentralized system based on blockchain technology is employed for energy trading. This paper discusses the double auction mechanism-based energy trading which is facilitated by blockchain platform. It reviews existing research that uses double auction mechanism, based on blockchain for energy trading. Also, a case study is conducted in this paper on a smart microgrid, comprising two prosumers and one consumer, all connected with the main grid. Within this smart microgrid, energy trading takes place among prosumer and consumer, involving residential load. For the implementation of energy trading, a uniform price double auction mechanism, facilitated by blockchain is utilized. The blockchain platform chosen for this implementation is based on Ganache Platform. The results show that engaging blockchain technology in local energy trading leads to considerable cost savings for prosumers and consumers. These findings are presented in the paper, highlighting the advantages of the proposed approach.