To understand the interactions between bacterial electrode respiration and the other ambient bacterial electron acceptor reductions, alternative electron acceptors (nitrate, Fe2O3, fumarate, azo dye MB17) were added singly or multiply into Shewanella decolorationis microbial fuel cells (MFCs). All the added electron acceptors were reduced simultaneously with current generation. Adding nitrate or MB17 resulted in more rapid cell growth, higher flavin concentration and higher biofilm metabolic viability, but lower columbic efficiency (CE) and normalized energy recovery (NER) while the CE and NER were enhanced by Fe2O3 or fumarate. The added electron acceptors also significantly influenced the cyclic voltammetry profile of anode biofilm probably via altering the cytochrome c expression. The highest power density was observed in MFCs added with MB17 due to the electron shuttle role of the naphthols from MB17 reduction. The results provided important information for MFCs applied in practical environments where contains various electron acceptors. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.