Environmental protection and energy crisis are two recent challenges to us. Future economic growth crucially depends on the long-term availability of energy from sources that are affordable, accessible and eco-friendly. Bio electrochemical systems (BESs) have recently emerged as an exciting technology. In a BES, bacteria interact with electrode using electrons, which are either removed or supplied through an electrical circuit. The most described type of BES is Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs). MFCs are devices that use bacteria as the catalyst to oxidize organic and inorganic matters. Electrons produced by bacteria from their substrates are transferred to the anode and flow to the cathode linked by a conductive material containing a resistor. The anodes of an MFCs behave as bacteria’s typical electron acceptor and thus, the movement of the electrons to the cathode of the MFC through a resistor, generate electricity. The construction and analysis of MFCs require knowledge of different scientific and engineering fields, ranging from microbiology and electrochemistry to materials and environmental engineering. In this paper, we are providing review of the different materials, methods used to construct MFCs and techniques used to analyze the performance.
