Enhanced Nutrient Removal from Freshwater through Microbial Fuel Cells: The Influence of External Resistances

Background Eutrophication is a major threat to freshwater ecosystems, leading to harmful algal blooms, biodiversity loss, and hypoxia. Excessive nutrient loading, primarily from nitrates and phosphates, is driven by fertilizer runoff, sewage discharge, and agricultural practices. Sediment microbial fuel cells (sMFCs) have emerged as a potential bioremediation strategy for nutrient removal while generating electricity. Although various studies have explored ways to enhance sMFC performance, limited research has examined the relationship between external resistance, electricity generation, and nutrient removal efficiency. Results This study demonstrated effective nitrogen and phosphorus removal from overlying water, achieving removal efficiencies of 69% and 61%, respectively. The impact of external resistances (510 Ω and 1200 Ω) on sMFC performance was evaluated, with the 1200 Ω configuration generating a maximum voltage of 715 mV. Conclusion The findings indicate that sMFCs can serve as a dual-purpose technology for nutrient removal and electricity generation. The power output may be sufficient to support small, eco-friendly biosensing devices in remote aquatic environments while mitigating eutrophication.