Simultaneous processes of electricity generation and ceftriaxone sodium degradation in an air-cathode single chamber microbial fuel cell

▶ This study demonstrated that electricity was successfully generated using ceftriaxone sodium-glucose mixtures or ceftriaxone sodium alone in a single chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) with an air-cathode. ▶ Ceftriaxone sodium degradation was more effective in the MFC than the anaerobic reactor. ▶ This study also opened up a new method to improve intracellular electron transfer rate (namely direct electron transfer from cell to outer cell surface) and power output in microbial fuel cell (MFC) through addition of ceftriaxone sodium (a β-lactam antibiotic). This discovery might be a breakthrough to MFC, as both a power source and wastewater treatment device.