Performance of different cathode catalysts in microbial fuel cell transducers for the determination of microbial activity

Abstract Microbial activity can be measured using sensors based on microbial fuel cell technology. In these sensors, the strength and stability of the signal depend among others on the type of catalyst used at the cathode since different power outputs can be reached depending on the catalyst. For this reason, it is necessary to know the efficiency of different catalysts, and thus, to use the best in terms of its application. Our results show that liquid phase catalysts provide much higher power output than solid phase catalysts, but at the expense of a reduced life span which limits their use for applications requiring extended operations.