Plant-Microbial Fuel Cells PMFCs

Schematic illustration of the electricity production mechanism in plant MFCs. 

Various aquatic plants, such as reed manna grass Glyceria maxima), rice-plant, Arundodonax and Anisogrammaanomala, have been used for PMFCs. Water-soluble root exudates of these plants, including carbohydrates, carboxylic acids and amino acids serve as the most important electron donors for electricity production. In addition, soil (if present) can also act as an electron source via chemical or anaerobic respiration processes, such as chemical oxidation of humic acids, iron(ll), and sulphur compounds, and microbial oxidation of sulphur and ammonia by specific microbes. 

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