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With the need for renewable, cheap, and environmentally friendly fuel increasing, researchers are turning to alternative fuel methods with renewed vigor. And let’s face it - it’s about time. How long have researchers and manufacturers promised mass consumable alternative fuels? It’s been a very long time. And the main inhibitor is cost. Okay, so there are political issues, workforce, issues, etc. I’m not naive to those factors. But cost and consumer demand are big factors. I’m impressed with the amount and variety of alternative fuels that are being pursued. Microbial fuel cells is one them. I did a double take when I initially found information on this. Let’s dive into it.
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BUGS
Reimers and Tender recently developed their Benthic Unattended Generators (BUGS). I’ll let Tender explain: “In many fresh and salt-water marine environments substantial organic matter resides in sediment, which sustains microbial activity that is limited by the flux of oxidants (such as oxygen and sulfate) into sediment from overlying water. Within the topmost layers (millimeters to centimeters) of such sediments, microorganisms preferentially deplete oxygen, causing microorganisms deeper in the sediment to use less potent oxidants (such as sulfate) and generate potent reductants (such as sulfide) as byproducts.
As a consequence, a natural redox gradient exists across the sediment/water interface in which porewater within such marine sediment (millimeters to centimeters) beneath the sediment surface, is enriched in reductants compared to overlying water.
Because of this redox gradient, an electrode imbedded in such marine sediment will equilibrate to a voltage that is often more than 0.7 volts negative that of an identical electrode positioned in overlying water at open circuit (i.e., when the electrodes are not electrically connected and therefore no electrical current flows between the electrodes).”
Did you get that? Yeah that’s technical, but you need to know that electrodes placed in the sediment and then in the overlying water produce current. This allows remote location oceanographic equipment to be powered easily, cheaply, and limitlessly. What a great idea.
Geobacter Reactor
In 1987, a professor at the University of Massachusetts, Derek Lovley, discovered a new bacteria in the mud of the Potomac River. The Geobacter bacteria (pictured above) had a long nano wire, called a pili, extending out from it. Bacteria use these typically to move around. To Lovley’s surprise, he found that the bacteria were using them to conduct electrons. The process is still a mystery, but now they had a Geobacter reactor. Once Lovley’s team started playing around with the bacteria they found yet another interesting phenomenon. If they allowed them to produce as much electrons as possible, they started producing a biofilm. RThis biofilm acted as a conductive material. Amazingly, those bacteria further away from the anode produced as much energy as those close to it. It seemed that the pili were directly involved in attaching to the anode. At first, the energy output was small. But Lovley’s team has been able to increase the output 1,000 times already. That’s great progress. Time will tell if it becomes very good.
Rhodoferax
Rhodoferax is another bacteria that shows promise. It also can directly transfer electrons to the surface of electrodes, a trait it shares with Geobacter. It is able to oxidize glucose at 80% efficiency, which is really good. It is incredibly stable and long lasting.
Who knew that bacteria could be this useful with our energy needs? Hopefully, the future holds even more advances in this area.
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looks like the nanotech is improving a lot.It can solve the issuse of giving medicines.Molecular condom on my post is something like that
I was glad to see that this made a post! Although the system is far from efficient yet, the possibilities are amazing. Think about combining bacteria’s ability to essentially degrade anything (toxic byproducts) coupled with production into energy.