The energy demands we have today rely heavily on fossil fuels, which unfortunately are finite resources and face the risk of depletion due to their limited availability (Amann, 1996; Das and Veziroglu, 2001). This reliance on fossil fuels has significant implications for the environment, particularly through the emission of CO2, contributing to global climate change.
It is crucial to acknowledge that a substantial portion of the global population lacks access to electricity for their daily needs. According to the United Nations, approximately 1.3 billion people are currently living without reliable access to electricity, and a significant proportion of these individuals reside in developing countries, including Pakistan.
Additionally, the continued use of fossil-based fuels exacerbates the environmental concerns we face. The emission of CO2 resulting from the combustion of these fuels contributes to the greenhouse effect and poses a threat to our planet's climate stability.
In light of these factors, it is imperative to explore alternative energy sources and transition towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions to meet our energy needs. By investing in renewable energy technologies and promoting energy efficiency measures, we can mitigate the detrimental effects of fossil fuel consumption while ensuring access to electricity for all individuals, including those in underserved communities.
The growing energy demand and the urgency of addressing climate change have prompted researchers to seek alternative and sustainable techniques that can fulfill the basic electricity needs of people while being environmentally friendly (Logan, 2004). One such area of interest for many researchers is microbial fuel cells (MFC), which utilize biological wastes to produce bioelectricity (Logan, 2004; Rabaey et al., 2003; Mohan, 2007).
Microbial fuel cells operate by harnessing biochemical reactions carried out by microorganisms in mild conditions, converting bioorganic wastes into electricity through biocatalysts (Logan, 2004). The MFC consists of separate anode and cathode compartments. In the anode section, microorganisms oxidize organic wastes, producing electrons and protons. The electrons then flow through a circuit system to the cathode compartment, where they combine with protons to form water molecules, generating electricity. Essentially, the MFC converts biochemical energy into electric energy, functioning similarly to traditional cells (Rabaey et al., 2003).
With the rapid increase in domestic and industrial wastewater resulting from higher water utilization, these waste streams often contaminate underground water systems. Developing countries face the challenge of municipal solid wastes constituting more than 60% of the total waste stream, making them a potential substrate for MFC (El-Chakhtoura et al., 2014). MFC technology not only aids in waste treatment but also simultaneously produces electricity (Jayashree et al., 2014). Additionally, untreated sewage and industrial effluents are polluting various natural water reservoirs. By utilizing wastewater as a substrate in microbial fuel cell technology, it becomes possible to generate electricity while effectively managing wastewater, presenting a sustainable and cost-effective approach (Christwardana et al., 2020).
A critical step in the MFC system is the selection of highly efficient microbial species, whether pure or mixed cultures. These microorganisms act as catalysts in transferring electrons from the substrate to the anode (Chaudhuri and Lovley, 2003; Logan et al., 2006; Saini et al., 2020).
In cities of developing countries like Pakistan, industrialization and urbanization pose significant threats of wastewater pollution. To address this issue, a study was conducted to explore the utilization of fisheries wastewater as a substrate for bioelectricity generation. The growth conditions of microorganisms were analyzed to maximize the production of bioelectricity using MFC technology.