Enhancing electrokinetics and desalination efficiency through catalysts and electrode modifications in microbial desalination cells.

Microbial desalination cells (MDCs) are considered as a sustainable technology for water desalination, wastewater treatment, and power generation. However, this neoteric technology suffers from different challenges, including sluggish oxygen reduction reaction and poor electron transfer from microbes to electrodes, ultimately leading to less power generation and desalination efficiency. This review delves into the intricate roles of both abiotic and biocatalysts in enhancing performance of MDCs through ion removal and charge transfer mechanisms. Detailed discussions highlight the comparative advantages and limitations of different catalyst types and insights into electrode modifications to optimise catalytic activity and biofilm formation. Further, recent advancements in electrode engineering, including surface coatings and integration of nanomaterial, geared towards enhancing efficiency of MDC and performance stability are discussed. Finally, future recommendations are provided, focusing on innovative catalyst designs, material integration, and considerations for scale-up and commercialisation, thereby offering a comprehensive roadmap for the continued advancement of MDC. [Display omitted] • Limited focus on catalyst/electrode tuning in microbial desalination cell (MDC). • Discussed strategies to enhance performance of MDC using biotic and abiotic catalysts. • Trade off required between performance of MDC and application of abiotic catalysts. • Algae serve as a good cathode modification maintaining both cost and sustainability. • Carbon doped perovskite can be an alternate cathode catalyst for MDC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]