Progress in enhancing the remediation performance of microbial fuel cells for contaminated groundwater.

• Combined with the actual site groundwater characteristics. • Discussed the design of MFCs, including configuration and size, electrode, membranes and separators, contaminants. • Reviewed the progress of research on groundwater removal with MFCs in the last decade. • Considerd the efficiency and practicability of MFCs. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have become more prevalent in groundwater remediation due to their capacity for power generation, removal of pollution, ease of assembly, and low secondary contamination. It is currently being evaluated for practical application in an effort to eliminate groundwater pollution. However, a considerable majority of research was conducted in laboratories. But the operational circumstances including anaerobic characteristics, pH, and temperature vary at different sites. In addition, the complexity of contaminants and the positioning of MFCs significantly affect remediation performance. Taking the aforementioned factors into consideration, this review summarizes a bibliography on the application of MFCs for the remediation of groundwater contamination during the last ten decades and assesses the impact of environmental conditions on the treatment performance. The design of the reactor, including configuration, dimensions, electrodes, membranes, separators, and target contaminants are discussed. This review aims to provide practical guidance for the future application of MFCs in groundwater remediation. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]