arisha-laldeo
My adopted bacterium is Geobacter sulfurreducens, which is commonly known as "electricigens" or "iron breathers" and is a metal reducing bacterium. This bacterium produces conductive protein appendages. These appendages are known as "pilus nanowires" which allow for the transfer of electrons by munching on waste materials, thus producing an electric current. I am a person who loves taking care of the environment and this bacterium does exactly that!
Geobacter sulfurreducens; discovered in 1978 by professor Derek Lovley, is a gram-negative, rod shaped bacterium which is motile. The bacterium is anaerobic, meaning that it is about to thrive in conditions which lack oxygen. Ocean sediments, river beds, waste materials and deep underground in the soil are just a few places that this bacterium can be found. Geobacter sulfurreducens has the amazing talent of producing electricity from waste materials such as dirt, contaminated water or even food waste! Besides producing electricity, Geobacter sulfurreducens has also been used to clean up oil spills and radioactive waste!
The amazing microorganism Geobacter is used to clean up toxic waste and to provide natural 'nanowires' for small electronics. This video provides you with a brief history about the bacterium and shows us exactly how scientists are able to harness small amounts of energy from these tiny bacterial cells to power up small devices.
Scientists have discovered bacteria making electricity out of thin air. Could this mean a greener future for energy?
Dr. Lenny Tender, research chemist at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), has co-invented a microbial fuel cell that persistently generates electrical power.
In recent years, major research has been focused on alternative and renewable energy sources to replace our current reliance on fossil fuels. Some microorganisms can convert chemical energy from a wide range of organic substances directly into electric current. This catalytic ability of microorganisms laid the foundation of microbial fuel cell (MFC) research [3]. A typical MFC comprises of a cathode, an anode, a cation or proton exchange membrane and an electrical circuit.
G. bemidjiensis, G. bremensis, G. chapelleii, G. grbiciae, G. humireducens, G. hydrogenophilus, G. metallireducens sp., G. pelophilus, G. sulfurreducens sp., G. sp.
