Table 2.

Comparative evaluation of various microalgae integrated with microbial fuel cell technologies.

Features	Microbial Carbon Capture Cells (MCCs)	Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells (SMFCs)	Microbial Desalination Cell (MDC)
Principle	CO2 is produced at the anode used by microalgae at the cathode.	The anode is buried in sediment, cathode is in the overlying water.	Electrical potential from microbes degrades organics and drives ion migration.
CO2 utilization	Efficient sequestration through microalgal photosynthesis.	Synergistic bioelectrochemical reactions under light exposure.	CO2 can be scavenged by biocathodes.
Integration with photosynthesis	Enabled CO2 consumption coincides with increased biomass.	Supported by photosynthetic microorganisms at the cathode.	Photosynthetic MDCs (PMDCs) use microalgae to generate oxygen and remove pollutants.
Electricity production	Enhanced algal biomass leads to increased power density.	Typically, low due to environmental conditions, but can be enhanced.	Bioelectricity generation is a primary function.
Biomass accumulation	Reported increased power density due to microalgae activity.	Stable power densities and nutrient removal under illumination.	Possible when using microalgae in the cathode or anode.
Wastewater treatment	Can be integrated for treatment and value-added compound production.	Potential in sediment bioremediation and biomass production.	Simultaneous wastewater treatment with desalination.
Challenges	•Managing dissolved oxygen levels, •Standardizing inputs •Optimizing CO2 utilization.	•Impact of photosynthetic microorganisms on current production, •Low power output.	•Biofouling on membranes, •Optimizing bioelectrochemical activity, •Managing pH.
References	[173,[195], [196], [197], [198], [199], [200]]	[168,[201], [202], [203], [204], [205], [206], [207], [208], [209], [210], [211]]	[[212], [213], [214], [215], [216], [217], [218], [219], [220]]