Development of Bioelectrochemical Systems to Promote Sustainable Agriculture

Agriculture

Xiaojin Li¹  Ibrahim M. Abu-Reesh²  Zhen He¹ 

[1] Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; E-Mail:;Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar; E-Mail:

关键词: bioelectrochemical systems;    microbial fuel cells;    microbial desalination cells;    anaerobic digestion;    membrane filtration;    wastewater reclamation and reuse;    wireless sensors;   

DOI  :  10.3390/agriculture5030367

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) are a newly emerged technology for energy-efficient water and wastewater treatment. Much effort as well as significant progress has been made in advancing this technology towards practical applications treating various types of waste. However, BES application for agriculture has not been well explored. Herein, studies of BES related to agriculture are reviewed and the potential applications of BES for promoting sustainable agriculture are discussed. BES may be applied to treat the waste/wastewater from agricultural production, minimizing contaminants, producing bioenergy, and recovering useful nutrients. BES can also be used to supply irrigation water via desalinating brackish water or producing reclaimed water from wastewater. The energy generated in BES can be used as a power source for wireless sensors monitoring the key parameters for agricultural activities. The importance of BES to sustainable agriculture should be recognized, and future development of this technology should identify proper application niches with technological advancement.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.