Bioelectric toilet for sustainable on-site wastewater management

Abstract

Mounting global water scarcity, environmental degradation, and a lack of centralized wastewater management infrastructure in widespread and remote areas of developing countries invite innovative and sustainable approaches for on-site wastewater management. To address the above concern, a bioelectrochemically assisted on-site toilet waste treatment stands out as a cutting-edge and innovative technology, uniquely capable of addressing the intricate issues posed by poor on-site wastewater management. A “Bioelectric Toilet” treats human wastewater on-site using microbial fuel cells (MFCs)-based system while simultaneously harvesting bioelectricity. Further, under anaerobic conditions, this system converts the organic substrate to carbon dioxide instead of methane, ammonia to nitrogen, and sulphide to elemental sulfur, providing a convincing avenue for attaining global environment-friendly sanitation and sustainability goals, at the same time avoiding odor problem. This review explores the design concept, operational mechanism, and implications of Bioelectric Toilets. Furthermore, it assesses the potential benefits, obstacles, and future possibilities of widespread adoption of Bioelectric Toilets in various socioeconomic circumstances.