Interactive influences of decolorized metabolites on electron-transfer characteristics of microbial fuel cells

This study clearly uncovered how and why decolorized metabolites (DM) or intermediates could stimulate bioelectricity-generating capabilities in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) due to synergistic interactions. It also disclosed mysteries behind the reversible stabilities of electron shuttles (ESs) of such biodegraded intermediates in practical MFCs. Electrochemical impedance spectra indicated that DM of reactive green 19 (RG19), reactive blue 160 (RBu160) and malachite green (MG) could significantly stimulate bioelectricity-generating capabilities in MFCs due to significant reduction of internal resistance. With autocatalysis of DM, apparently feedback stimulation of decontaminated species directly controlled the performance of MFC-based bioremediation.