Sulfur Pollutants Treatment Using Microbial Fuel Cells from Perspectives of Electrochemistry and Microbiology

Sulfur pollutants have negative impact on natural ecosystems and biological health in dynamic processes of migration and transformation on Earth. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been shown to be a promising technique for the removal of sulfur pollutants in wastewater, and research efforts have been made for the development of this area. To date, some controversies still exist in the mechanism of sulfur pollutants transformation involved in electrochemical reactions and microbial effects, limiting the practical application. This review respectively discussed the roles of electrode chemical reaction and microorganisms in sulfur pollutants treatment using MFCs, demonstrated the treatment mechanism and effecting factors, and summarized the configurations, separator types, electrode materials and catalysts, as well as sulfur recovery and electrode regeneration. Furthermore, the feasibility of sulfur pollutants removal in MFCs was assessed by capital cost between MFCs and typical anaerobic biological treatment.