Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39753844›Full record

ArticleEnvironmental science and pollution research international2025

Microbial fuel cells to monitor natural attenuation around groundwater plumes.

Panagiotis Kirmizakis, Mark Cunningham, Deepak Kumaresan, Rory Doherty

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Environmental science and pollution research international, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Panagiotis KirmizakisCenter for Integrative Petroleum Research, College of Petroleum Engineering and Geosciences, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Mark CunninghamSchool of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT7 1NN, UK.
Deepak KumaresanSchool of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT7 1NN, UK.
Rory DohertySchool of Natural and Built Environment, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT7 1NN, UK. r.doherty@qub.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7583-0592

Funding

CASE Centre for Advanced Sustainable Energy Research (GB) A1161H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions 643087US Ireland fund (US, IE, GB) US Ireland 154
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This research presents a straightforward and economically efficient design for a microbial fuel cell (MFC) that can be conveniently integrated into a borehole to monitor natural attenuation in groundwater. The design employs conventional, transparent, and reusable PVC bailers with graphite tape and granular activated carbon to create high surface area electrodes. These electrodes are connected across redox environments in nested boreholes through a wire and variable resistor setup. The amended electrodes were installed in pre-existing boreholes surrounding a groundwater plume near a former gasworks facility. Among all the MFC locations tested, the MFC at the plume fringe exhibited the highest electrical response and displayed significant variations in the differential abundance of key bacterial and archaeal taxa between the anode and cathode electrodes. The other MFC configurations in the plume center and uncontaminated groundwater showed little to no electrical response, suggesting minimal microbial activity. This straightforward approach enables informed decision-making regarding effectively monitoring, enhancing, or designing degradation strategies for groundwater plumes. It offers a valuable tool for understanding and managing contaminant degradation in such environments.

Indexed as

Bioelectric Energy SourcesEnvironmental MonitoringGroundwaterElectrodesCarbureted water gas (CWG)Microbial fuel cell (MFC)Monitored natural attenuation (MNA)

Identifiers

PMID39753844
PMCPMC11775044

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.