Technologies based on microbial fuel cells (MFC) have a high potential in wastewater treatment. The present work describes an easy-to-build two-chamber MFC, which yielded the current of 200–250 μA 10–15 days after inoculation with activated sludge and introduction of acetate as a carbon and energy source. The fuel cell exhibited Coulombic efficiency of 15–21% and the maximum specific power of 6.9 mW/m2. The microbial community formed at the anode after two months was enriched with members of the genera Geobacter (15.8%) and Methanosaeta (22.4%). During the following two months, the share of Methanosaeta decreased to 9.9%; it was replaced by members of the phyla Rhodocyclaceae, Competibacteraceae, and Desulfocapsaceae. Direct transfer was the main way of electron transport from the biofilm to the anode.
Dorofeev et al. (Sun,) studied this question.