Abstract
This review paper emphasised on the origin of hexavalent chromium toxicity in tannery wastewater and its remediation using novel Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) technology, including electroactive bacteria, which are known as exoelectrogens, to simultaneously treat wastewater and its action in the production of bioenergy and the mechanism of Cr6+ reduction. Also, there are various parameters like electrode, pH, mode of operation, time of operation, and type of exchange membrane used for promising results shown in enhancing MFC production and remediation of Cr6+. Destructive anthropological activities, such as leather making and electroplating industries are key sources of hexavalent chromium contamination in aquatic repositories. When Cr6+ enters the food chain and enters the human body, it has the potential to cause cancer. MFC is a green innovation that generates energy economically through the reduction of toxic Cr6+ to less toxic Cr3+. The organic substrates utilized at the anode of MFC act as electrons (e−) donors. This review also highlighted the utilization of cheap substrates to make MFCs more economically suitable and the energy production at minimum cost.
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•Tannery wastewater is the major source of Cr6+ contamination in the environment.•Cr6+ is highly toxic for environment, human, plants and microbes.•Cr6+ can be reduced/detoxified effectively by microbial fuel cells.•MFC is a bio-electrochemical device to the in wastewater treatment with power generation.•Different parameters can influence/affect the reduction of Cr6+ and power generation.