Microbial desalination cells for energy production and desalination

► Bacteria generate electricity while oxidizing organic matter in wastewater. ► Electricity produced can be used to desalinate salt water without any other energy input. ► Salt removal can be very high (> 95%) but this requires a large amount of wastewater. ► Stacked ion exchange, forward osmosis, or bipolar membranes can be used in MDCs. ► Low current densities, pH, membrane integrity, and safety issues need further investigation.