Bioelectrochemical systems in aid of sustainable biorefineries for the production of value-added products and resource recovery from wastewater: A critical review and future perspectives

[Display omitted] •BES-mediated biofuels production and nutrient removal/recovery are summarized.•Bioelectrochemical systems are promising for recovering ammonium nitrogen.•Integration of biological and BES allows the development of new waste biorefineries.•Several bottlenecks that are preventing or delaying the commercialization of BES are discussed.•Conferred future challenges to develop a research interest in BESs. Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) have the potential to be used in a variety of applications such as waste biorefinery, pollutants removal, CO2 capture, and the electrosynthesis of clean and renewable biofuels or byproducts, among others. In contrast, many technical challenges need to be addressed before BES can be scaled up and put into real-world applications. Utilizing BES, this review article presents a state-of-the-art overall view of crucial concepts and the most recent innovative results and achievements acquired from the BES system. Special attention is placed on a hybrid approach for product recovery and wastewater treatment. There is also a comprehensive overview of waste biorefinery designs that are included. In conclusion, the significant obstacles and technical concerns found throughout the BES studies are discussed, and suggestions and future requirements for the virtual usage of the BES concept in actual waste treatment are outlined.