Abstract In the past decades, the bioelectrochemical system (BES) has developed into a versatile platform to sustain the conversion of various substances for the generation of energy and energy-efficient production of chemicals. Taking advantage of microbial extracellular electron transfer, the BES is able to perform a variety of value-added element conversion reactions, including production of electric energy from organic carbon, synthesis of chemicals from carbon dioxide, oxidation of sulfide into element sulfur, reduction of nitrate/nitrite into nitrous oxide and reduction of metal ions into solid metals and/or metal oxides. While the potential for using BES as an energy and resource factory has been fully recognized, governing the element conversion pathways into the desired energy and products in BES is still a great challenge. This review provides comprehensive insights into the microbial extracellular electron transfer principles as well as behaviors of key chemical elements in BESs. Individual element conversion processes and their integrations on the BES platform are analyzed. The physicochemical, chemical and microbial mechanisms involved in these processes are explored, and the coupling patterns of electron transfer and element conversion reactions are elucidated. Furthermore, the challenges to design, construct and operate a BES with improved electron transfer efficiency and product specificity are discussed, and research needs are proposed. Additionally, BES technologies from the perspectives of waste remediation, energy production, resource recovery and chemical synthesis are envisaged.

中文翻译：

---

生物电化学元素转化反应产生能源和增值化学品

摘要 在过去的几十年中，生物电化学系统 (BES) 已发展成为一个多功能平台，以维持各种物质的转化，以产生能量和节能生产化学品。利用微生物胞外电子转移，BES 能够进行多种增值元素转化反应，包括有机碳生产电能、二氧化碳合成化学品、硫化物氧化成元素硫、硝酸盐还原/亚硝酸盐转化为一氧化二氮，并将金属离子还原为固体金属和/或金属氧化物。虽然使用 BES 作为能源和资源工厂的潜力已被充分认识到，但在 BES 中控制元素转化为所需能源和产品的途径仍然是一个巨大的挑战。这篇综述对微生物细胞外电子转移原理以及 BES 中关键化学元素的行为提供了全面的见解。分析了单个元素转换过程及其在 BES 平台上的集成。探索了这些过程中涉及的物理化学、化学和微生物机制，并阐明了电子转移和元素转化反应的耦合模式。此外，还讨论了设计、构建和操作具有改进的电子转移效率和产品特异性的 BES 的挑战，并提出了研究需求。此外，还设想了从废物修复、能源生产、资源回收和化学合成的角度来看的 BES 技术。