Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) contamination poses significant challenges for the remediation of surface water. This study evaluated how electrode surface area affects the performance of microbial fuel cell enhanced floating beds (MFC-EFBs) under PFOA stress. The results indicate that PFOA exposure significantly reduced MFC-EFBs bioelectricity generation, likely due to toxic effects on plants and microbial communities. Increasing electrode surface area from 0.04 m2 to 0.08 m2 partially mitigated these adverse effects, improving power density, plant photosynthetic activity, and the removal of conventional pollutants. PFOA removal in MFC-EFBs was primarily attributable to substrate adsorption (13.2-14.6%), whereas plant uptake contributed less than 5%. Although increasing electrode surface area did not significantly change overall PFOA removal efficiency (p > 0.05), it altered PFOA transport pathways within the system. Larger electrode areas enhanced the adsorption of PFOA onto the electrode surface and its subsequent phytosequestration, effectively extracting PFOA from the aqueous phase and thereby lowering its bioavailability and associated ecological risk. These results indicate that optimizing electrode surface area can enhance MFC-EFBs resilience to PFOA stress and improve treatment performance, offering a practical strategy to advance bioelectrochemical remediation of emerging contaminants in surface water.
Glyphosate residues pose significant ecological risks and microbial fuel cell (MFC) can degrade pesticides and generate bioelectricity but hindered by sluggish bioelectrons transfer in cathode. In this study, a mother-child "MOF-on-MOF" precursor (MOF: metal-organic framework) is designed via giving birth to ZnFe Prussian blue analogue (Zn-Fe PBA) from zinc based zeolite imidazole framework (ZIF-8) through a diffusion-controlled nucleophilic substitution reaction of Fe(CN)63-. The derived hollow nanocage-supported carbon-encapsulated Fe/Fe5C2 electrocatalyst (Fe/Fe5C2-SNC@PNC) exhibites superior activity for bioelectrons acceptance in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), surpassing those of Fe/Fe3C-SNC and PNC derived from ZnFe PBA and ZIF-8 alone. The maximum power density of MFC with Fe/Fe5C2-SNC@PNC cathode reaches up to 1814 mW m-2 and the efficiency of COD removal is 87.5%. Besides, MFCs connected in series are utilized to drive the low-power devices of the mobile phone, digital watches, and LED lights in practical applications. The remission to wheat growth through MFC with the Fe/Fe5C2-SNC@PNC cathodes for glyphosate stress was demonstrated by eight growth indexes (52.42% ∼ 127.2%), four antioxidant enzymes (42.81% ∼ 96.93%) and chlorophyll (20.74% ∼ 30.91%). The high-throughput sequencing reveals that Pseudomonadota (50.9% ± 2.9%), Actinomycetota (26.6% ± 2.8%) and Bacteroidota (14.3% ± 1.5%) play a pivotal role in driving glyphosate degradation and energy conversion. This study establishes a theoretical foundation for the formation of mother-child "MOF-on-MOF" structures and paves the way for pesticide-stress remediation.
Electrocatalysis offers a sustainable route for producing value-added chemicals, yet its widespread adoption is limited by low turnover frequency (TOF) and electron efficiency (EE). Here, we unveil a promotion effect in molecular phthalocyanine catalysts, enabling synergistic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and cyclohexanone oxidation (CyO). This mechanism bypasses the kinetic limitations of ORR steps and the overpotential penalties of CyO, achieving a record TOF of 1711 h-1 with superior EE (∼100% at 0.5 VRHE) for adipic acid production. Near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that this remarkable activity arises from interactions between *OOH intermediates at metal centers and substrates on neighboring nitrogen atoms. Integrating this design into microbial fuel cell reactors enables self-driven adipic acid synthesis alongside spontaneous bioelectricity generation, i.e., the system operates without any external power input. Life cycle assessment shows a 43% reduction in CO2 emissions, surpassing conventional adipic acid production methods. This self-driven strategy establishes a new paradigm for coupling energy generation with chemical synthesis, offering highly efficient and environmentally sustainable models for industrial processes.
Complex nitrogen pollution in wastewater and the rising energy consumption are calling for the development of coupled advanced technologies to simultaneously remove pollutants and recover energy. Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification microbial fuel cells (SND-MFCs) enable efficient removal of nitrogen and recovery of energy. This review systematically discusses the latest developments of SND-MFC system under different system designs, including reactor configurations, electrode materials, and critical operating parameters that govern the efficiency of the removal of nitrogen and the generation of power. Meanwhile, mechanisms are firstly analyzed from the points of reacting substances, functional zoning and distribution of electrons. This review also describes microbial synergy among nitrifiers, denitrifiers and electroactive taxa from the points of biofilm's stratification, microbial community, strain screening with metagenomic detection and electron-transfer pathways. Furthermore, characteristics of real wastewater of SND-MFC in coking, pharmaceutical, and livestock wastewater are also summarized, exhibiting comprehensive elimination of nitrogen and recovery of bioelectricity under carbon- and aeration-free conditions. Subsequent research should further optimize the performance of the system by developing intelligent strategies based upon machine learning (ML) and digital twin technologies, electrobiological communication circuits, combination of strain screening and gene editing to unlock the full-scale potential of SND-MFC technology. In addition, the transition from laboratory-scale to practical applications also faces multiple technical challenges that require attention.
The long-term performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) depends on microbial communities whose composition strongly influences electron transfer and substrate utilization. The presence of environmental pollutants can cause changes in microbial abundance and biodiversity and have an effect on the MFC efficacy; however, their long-term operational stability under environmental stress remains insufficiently explored. This study assessed the long-term performance of MFCs using river sediment organic matter as the energy, electron, and carbon source during exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The MFC-PFOA (MFC with PFOA) system operated effectively for 10 months, achieving a maximum voltage of 461.9 mV and a peak current density of 14.5 mA/m2, significantly outperforming the control cell. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis confirmed a 94.9 % reduction in PFOA concentration and detected perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) and perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), indicating possible partial transformation and/or redistribution processes within the bioelectrochemical system. Additionally, bacterial community analysis revealed a shift in microbial composition, with Firmicutes and Desulfobacterota becoming dominant, suggesting their roles in current generation and biotransformation of PFOA. Overall, this work demonstrates long-term bioelectricity generation in the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollutants, while indicating partial attenuation and compositional changes of PFOA under bioelectrochemical conditions, thus providing valuable insights into the robustness of bioelectrochemical systems for energy recovery in contaminated environments.
The environmental risk of azo dyes arises from their recalcitrant nature and potential carcinogenicity. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have emerged as a sustainable technology for concurrent wastewater treatment and renewable electricity generation, yet their efficiency is constrained by mass transfer limitations, low electron recovery, and the complex responses of microbial communities. This study evaluated the effects of free-fall influent (FF) mode on red soil MFCs treating the disazo dye Acid Red 73 (AR73). Compared with conventional operation, FF mode enhanced both pollutant removal and bioelectrochemical performance. The hydrodynamic impact of inflowing droplets increased cathodic dissolved oxygen by 44.7-45.8%, thereby promoting oxygen reduction. These physicochemical shifts mitigated cathodic polarization, resulting in a maximum power density of 2056 mW/m3 under dye-containing conditions. Coulombic efficiency also improved, reflecting more efficient electron recovery from organic substrates. GC-MS analysis identified the major degradation products in both FF and non-FF modes, revealing differences that clarified the AR73 degradation pathway. Microbial community analyses revealed that FF mode restructured both bacterial and fungal communities. Electroactive genera, including Anaeromyxobacter, Dechloromonas, Citrifermentans, and Caulobacter were enriched, together with organic degraders such as Xanthobacter, Methyloversatilis, Rhodoplanes, and Aquabacterium. Fungal communities, dominated by Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, also displayed functional shifts, with FF mode promoting the abundance of degradative taxa including Ganoderma, Nigrospora, and Sterigmatomyces. Overall, FF mode provides a hydrodynamic strategy that enhances both energy recovery and pollutant removal. These findings suggest that hydrodynamic intensification can improve the sustainability of wastewater treatment in bioelectrochemical systems.
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Surgeons face serious challenges removing cancer fully during surgery, with incomplete cancer removal posing significant risks to patients. To address this problem, Lucell Diagnostics Inc. is developing an innovative cancer detection platform called membrane voltage profiling (MVPro; patent pending). This groundbreaking method exploits the discovery that cancer cells exhibit a physiological biomarker, depolarization, as revealed by fluorescent voltage-sensitive dyes. Cancer cells fluoresce in specific patterns and intensities that differ from normal cells, allowing precise identification. We present here our preliminary results on the feasibility of using voltage to locate cancer cells. The aims were: to perform controls showing whether MVPro affects the normal pathology process; to optimize tissue transfer for margin cell collection; to confirm that the VSD DiBAC4(3) is appropriate for MVPro of skin cells; to determine whether MVPro finds cancer in the same specimens as pathological analysis. These studies on nonmelanoma skin cancer specimens reveal that MVPro is low risk to the patient, integrates with existing surgical protocols, finds cancer in the same specimens as does pathology, and presents no complications for pathological analysis. Once development of this methodology is complete, MVPro will yield an annotated, 2D heat map covering the entire surgical margin, indicating the location of cells with a high likelihood of being cancer. This will empower surgeons to confirm a negative surgical margin before closing. This simple type of intraoperative imaging, performed in or near the operating theater, has the potential to improve surgical outcome, cut health care costs, and enhance post-surgical quality of life by preserving healthy tissue. Because the setup costs are relatively small and the reagents are inexpensive, we believe MVPro could be of great benefit to underserved areas. Indeed, MVPro could benefit health care systems globally, from cutting-edge hospitals to small clinics in underserved regions.
Cr(VI) with high redox potential, can be effectively reduced using microbial fuel cell (MFC). High-performance bioanodes play a crucial role in enhancing both power generation and Cr(VI) removal. In this study, carbon nanotubes were modified via a sequential two-step strategy combining covalent acid oxidation and polydopamine (PDA) non-covalent coating. Systematic evaluation verified that polydopamine-functionalized carboxylated carbon nanotube (POC) was a highly efficient anode modification material for MFCs. The POC modified carbon brush (POC/CB) improved the surface morphology of carbon fibers and introduced abundant functional groups and catalytically active sites, thereby significantly enhancing the hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, and electrochemical activity of carbon brushes. MFCs with POC/CB anodes (POC/CB-MFCs) achieved a maximum power density of 23.5 ± 0.16 W m-3, outperforming those with commercial carbon brushes (10.6 ± 1.22 W m-3), and demonstrated stable electricity generation over six months. For 150 mg L-1 Cr(VI) catholyte, 100% removal was achieved in 46 h by POC/CB-MFCs (3.26 g m-3 h-1), compared to 60% removal at 1.96 g m-3 h-1 in CB-MFCs. Mechanism analysis confirmed that the modified bioanode enhanced extracellular electron transfer efficiency and enriched functional microbes. This work offers valuable insights into designing advanced bioelectrochemical systems for sustainable chromium wastewater treatment and resource recovery.
In science, one needs to have a eureka moment from time to time, in order to avoid falling into depression-it is not easy every day to be a researcher. Sometimes, these eurekas are the result of SERENDIPITY. However, in most of the cases, these eurekas are the result… of (experimental) RESULTS, that is, of WORK. But there is another category, the GREAT EUREKAS, that do not hit your mind many times in your life. I believe that I had only one GREAT EUREKA that, however, dictated my projects, experiments and successes for several decades.
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are bioelectrochemical systems that generate electricity through the microbial oxidation of organic substrates and offer potential for concurrent pollutant remediation. The anode potentials associated with common substrates are typically near - 0.3 V (vs. standard hydrogen electrode (SHE) at pH 7.0), making electricity generation feasible when paired with a cathodic reaction exhibiting a sufficiently positive potential. In this study, we developed two-chamber MFCs that simultaneously generate electricity and remove dissolved cupric ion (Cu(II)) from unbuffered copper catholyte. At an initial Cu(II) concentration of 10.0 mM, the system achieved 99.0% dissolved Cu(II) removal, and the cathodic coulombic efficiency (cathodic CE) reached 85.0%. Conversely, lower initial Cu(II) concentrations (5.0 and 2.5 mM) resulted in lower cathodic CEs (57.7% and 69.6%, respectively), which is consistent with a less-developed secondary discharge stage. The open-circuit voltage was ∼ 640.0 mV, and the maximum power density reached 553.1 mW/m2 when 10 mM Cu(II) catholyte was used. During operation, the catholyte pH increased from 4.8 to 8.1, indicating dissolved Cu(II) removal. Scannig electron microscope (SEM)/energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses revealed the presence of deposits containing both Cu(0) and Cu2O, supporting a two-step reduction process wherein Cu2O forms during the primary discharge stage and is further reduced to Cu(0) during the secondary stage.
Nonylphenol (NP), a persistent endocrine disrupting chemical, posed significant ecological and health risks, necessitating efficient remediation strategies. This study pioneered the application of a polyaniline-derived covalent organic framework - carbon nanotube (PANI@COF-CNT, PCC) as an electroactive electrode material in sludge microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) for enhanced NP removal coupled with bioelectricity generation. The PCC electrode facilitated SMFC operation, achieving the highest output voltage (604.17 mV) and power density (51.37 mW/m2). Remarkably, the PCC-SMFC system attained 99.94% aqueous-phase NP removal and 99.28% COD removal over 65 d. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer analysis identified key biodegradation intermediates (e.g., nonanol, hydroquinone, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid), suggesting that NP removal was primarily attributable to biodegradation via co-metabolic transformation and carbon source utilization, although abiotic adsorption and electrochemical oxidation may have also contributed. Furthermore, electroactive materials reshaped the anodic microbial community, enabling efficient utilization of the bioconjugate for NP degradation. The upregulation of energy metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism pathways, as confirmed by functional analysis, in materials modified-SMFCs facilitated concurrent bioelectricity generation and pollutant mineralization. The reduced estrogenic activity of the effluent further confirmed the feasibility of SMFC reactors. This work established PCC-SMFC as a sustainable technology leveraging electroactive material-mediated bioaugmentation for efficient treatment of NP-contaminated wastewater while recovering energy.
The limitations of traditional gel-based Ag/AgCl electrodes, such as skin irritation, unsuitability for long-term monitoring, etc., have spurred the development of next-generation "dry" electrodes for bioelectricity monitoring applications. This study reports the fabrication of high-performance and low-cost thermoplastic elastomer multi-material 3D printed (3DP) dry electrodes, utilizing Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). The electrodes consist of neat and conductive thermoplastic polyurethane (cTPU) simultaneously printed to incorporate the conductive material properties into the electrodes' bulk structure, as well as "tune" the compliance, stretchability, and flexibility with respect to the human skin stiffness. Different electrode designs are proposed to optimize skin conformity, employing nature-inspired triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) geometries, namely, gyroid (G) and square honeycomb (SH), with a 3 mm unit cell size. The final electrodes are characterized through thermogravimetric analyses, tensile testing, cyclic bending, and electrode-skin impedance, while different ECG signal acquisition scenarios are demonstrated, i.e., stationary, 24 h monitoring, standing, and walking. The multi-material gyroid electrode exhibited the lowest electrode-skin impedance (298 kΩ at 20 Hz) and the highest ECG signal quality. The proposed multi-material structure and TPMS design strategy enable a scalable route to comfortable, reusable, and high-performance electrodes by spatially combining conductivity and skin-compliant mechanics, supporting continuous bioelectricity monitoring in wearable applications.
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is traditionally studied through biochemical, metabolic, and mechanical lenses. Increasing evidence, however, indicates that ion channels, membrane potential, and local ionic conditions also influence tumor and immune cell behavior, while cancer neuroscience has revealed that neural inputs can regulate tumor growth and plasticity. Despite these parallel advances, an integrated framework that explicitly links tumor bioelectricity, neural signaling, and immune electrochemical responsiveness is lacking. Here, we propose the tumor-nerve-immune electrical axis as a hypothesis-generating framework to organize these adjacent fields. We distinguish three levels of evidence: (i) compartment-specific mechanisms (tumor-cell bioelectricity, tumor-associated neural regulation, immune-cell electrophysiology), (ii) supported pairwise interactions (e.g., neuron-tumor coupling in selected cancers, extracellular K+-mediated T-cell suppression), and (iii) testable hypotheses that require direct experimental validation. The framework centers on three components, the electrical phenotype of cancer cells, activity-dependent signaling of tumor-associated nerves, and the capacity of immune cells to interpret ionic and membrane-state cues, and introduces the organizing concepts of neurogenic niche, electro-immunosuppression, and signal interception, all explicitly presented as testable heuristics rather than established universal mechanisms. Current evidence is strongest for individual components and selected pairwise interactions; direct demonstration of a broadly applicable tripartite electrical axis remains limited. We discuss experimentally testable predictions and therapeutic implications, including ion-channel-targeted pharmacology, physical field-based interventions, and emerging bioelectronic platforms. This framework is intended to guide mechanistic studies and evidence-based evaluation of when and how electrical communication contributes to cancer progression.
Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) remains difficult to heal due to disrupted endogenous bioelectricity together with persistent infection, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Reinstating wound bioelectricity therefore represents an attractive therapeutic strategy, and thermoelectric materials are particularly suited to this purpose by harvesting the natural skin-air temperature gradient without external power input. Here, a self-powered ionic thermoelectric dual-network hydrogel is developed to simultaneously reconstruct wound bioelectric cues and remodel the hostile DFU microenvironment. The hydrogel generates wound-relevant microcurrents under physiological temperature gradients, while luteolin and Zn2 + are incorporated as complementary bioactive modules to suppress bacterial burden and excessive inflammation, thereby establishing a pro-regenerative niche. Meanwhile, the catechol-containing dual-network architecture imparts strong wet adhesion and robust mechanical stability for conformal wound coverage. Mechanistically, this study provides, to our knowledge, the first evidence that thermoelectric stimulation reprograms fibroblast repair behavior through bioelectric transduction into a Ca2 +/calmodulin-dependent phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) signaling network. The hydrogel exhibits broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, immunomodulatory effects, and pro-angiogenic capacity in vitro, and accelerates wound healing by 66.84% in diabetic rats. This work establishes a self-powered strategy that integrates bioelectric restoration with microenvironment remodeling for DFU repair.
Electroactive microorganisms (EAMs) can be incorporated into active soil management as a strategy for regenerative agriculture. Through extracellular electron transfer, they drive nutrient cycling, biofertilization, and pollutant degradation while also producing bioelectricity. Soil microbial fuel cells exemplify their use as self-powered biosensors and platforms for bioremediation. Reframing soils as dynamic bioelectronic interfaces, EAMs enable nutrient recovery, waste valorisation, and resilience. The concept of "gardening microorganisms" integrates them as programmable agents within managed ecosystems. By coupling microbial consortia engineering, bioelectronic scaffolds, and circular nutrient recovery, soils work as intelligent, self-regulating systems. This review positions EAMs as a tool in soil management for shaping climate-smart, regenerative agroecosystems that sustain productivity and ecological balance.
Bioelectricity plays a key role in shaping tissues during early development. We previously demonstrated that elongating chicken feather buds establish a transient standing electrical current loop, with calcium channel-mediated inward current at the bud tip driving collective distal dermal cell movement that orients feather bud growth. Here, we evaluate the hypothesis that potassium channels carry the outward current at the bud base. We found potassium channel inhibition converts periodic feather primordia into horizontal stripes and alters bud aspect ratios by disrupting the bud elongation process. Bioelectric measurements show disruption of the entire current loop, affecting both outward current at the base and inward current at the feather bud tip. Hexagonally arrayed bud patterns become horizontal stripes and buds with irregular contours. In situ hybridization shows a thinner dermal condensation layer and failure to form distinct primordia. Despite disorganized morphology, dermal cells still express feather markers (NCAM, TnC, DKK1 and BMP4), and epidermis exhibits aberrant β-catenin, Shh, EDA and EDAR expression patterns. These findings show that potassium channel activity is required to couple cell fate specification with morphogenesis and highlight that ion channels are essential for cell-cell communication during periodic feather patterning and bud shaping.
During tissue regeneration, the microenvironment functions as a coupled physical, chemical, and biological system that provides essential biophysical cues for regulating cell behavior. Biomaterials that mimic these properties therefore hold significant regenerative potential. Among them, electroactive hydrogels have emerged not only as scaffolds but also as mechanoelectrical transducers that convert mechanical stimuli into biologically relevant electrical signals, which is particularly valuable for excitable tissues. Exogenous electrical stimulation and intrinsic piezoelectricity can modulate a broad range of biological processes, including cell migration, proliferation, differentiation, neural conduction, muscle contraction, and tissue repair. Recent advances in materials science have enabled the development of electroactive hydrogels with improved biocompatibility, tunable mechanics, and force-to-electricity conversion capability. This review first outlines the roles of endogenous bioelectricity and bio-piezoelectricity in tissue development and regeneration. It then focuses on two major classes of electroactive hydrogels designed to mimic microenvironmental mechanoelectrical transduction: piezoelectric hydrogels and piezoionic hydrogels. We compare their distinct operating principles, namely strain-induced polarization and deformation-induced ion redistribution, as well as their mechanical compatibility, signal characteristics, and biological operating windows. Particular attention is given to their use as self-powered biointerfaces for sensing, stimulation, and regenerative modulation. We further provide a comparative framework summarizing their differences in output regime, force sensitivity, frequency response, impedance behavior, conversion characteristics, degradability, and current in vivo validation status. Finally, the opportunities and remaining challenges of both systems are discussed, with emphasis on material design, benchmarking, and translational potential. This review aims to provide mechanistic insight and practical design guidance for next-generation electroactive hydrogels in bio-interfacing and regenerative medicine.