Microbial Fuel Cells

We have found that dissimilatory metal-reducing microorganisms, such as Geobacter and Rhodoferax species, have the novel ability to directly transfer electrons to the surface of electrodes. This had led to the construction of microbial fuel cells that are superior to previously described microbial fuel cells in that: 1) they are much more efficient; 2) they do not require the addition of the toxic electron shuttling mediator compounds employed in previously described microbial fuel cells; 3) they have remarkable long-term stability; and 4) it is possible to harvest electricity from many types of waste organic matter or renewable biomass. Immediate application of these microbial fuel cells will be for powering electronic monitoring devices in remote locations, such as the bottom of the ocean. However, many other applications are possible. Current research is focusing on elucidating the mechanisms of electron transfer between the microorganisms and the electrode in order to design better electrodes or genetically engineer better microbes for higher rates of electricity production.

[Sediment Battery Preparation | .pdf (177 KB)]

References

Lovley, D.R. 2006. Bug juice: harvesting electricity with microorganisms. Nature Reviews Microbiology 4: 497-508

Lovley, D. R. 2006. Microbial fuel cells: novel microbial physiologies and engineering approaches. Curr Opin Biotechnol. 17:327-332.

Holmes, D. E., K. P. Nevin, R. A. O'Neil, J. E. Ward, L. A. Adams, T. L. Woodward, and D. R. Lovley. 2005. Potential for quantifying expression of Geobacteraceae citrate synthase gene to assess the activity of Geobacteraceae in the subsurface and on current harvesting-electrodes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71:6870-6877.

Bond, D. R., and D. R. Lovley. 2005. Evidence for involvement of an electron shuttle in electricity production by Geothrix fermentans. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71:2186-2189.

Holmes, D. E., D. R. Bond, R. A. O'Neil, C. E. Reimers, L. R. Tender, and D. R. Lovley. 2004. Microbial communities associated with electrodes harvesting electricity from a variety of aquatic sediments. Microbial Ecol. 48:178-190.

Holmes, D. E., J. S. Nicoll, D. R. Bond, and D. R. Lovley. 2004. Potential role of a novel psychrotolerant member of the Geobacteraceae, Geopsychrobacter electrodiphilus gen. nov., sp. nov. in electricity production by the marine sediment fuel cell. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70:6023-6030.

Holmes, D. E., D. R. Bond, and D. R. Lovley. 2004. Electron transfer to Fe(III) and graphite electrodes by Desulfobulbus propionicus. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70:1234-1237.

Bond DR, Lovley DR. 2003. Electricity Production by Geobacter sulfurreducens Attached to Electrodes. Appl Environ Microbiol. 69(3):1548-55.

Chaudhuri SK, Lovley DR. 2003. Electricity generation by direct oxidation of glucose in mediatorless microbial fuel cells. Nature Biotechnology 21(10):1229-1232.

Tender LM, Reimers CE, Stecher HA, Holmes DE, Bond DR, Lowy DA, Pilobello K, Fertig SJ, Lovley DR. 2002. Harnessing microbially generated power on the seafloor. Nat Biotechnol. 20(8):821-5

Bond DR, Holmes DE, Tender LM, Lovley DR. 2002. Electrode-reducing microorganisms that harvest energy from marine sediments. Science. 295:483-5.


Videos

Dr. Swades Chaudhuri demonstrating power generated by marine sediment fuel cells [Real Media 14MB]

Photos (click on thumbnail for full size image)

Gold electrode used in analysis of electron transfer rates of Geobacter species	“Geobatteries” powering a calculator	“Geobatteries” powering a calculator	Geobacters in Boston Harbor sediments colonize electrodes placed in the mud to power a timer
Geobacter metallireducens colonized on unpolished graphite electrode	Transmission Electron Micrograph of Rhodoferax ferrireducens. Image credit: Claudia V. Johnsen	Rhodoferax ferrireducens on Electrode	Geobacter colonizing a graphite electrode surface
Fuel Cell Diagram	Dr. Swades K. Chaudhuri Operating the Fuel Cell
Geobatteries powering calculator	Geobatteries powering calculator	Marine sediment fuel cell apparatus	Remote control car powered by marine geobatteries
Remote control car powered by marine geobatteries	Model SUV powered by marine geobatteries	Model SUV powered by marine geobatteries	Geo-robot powered by marine geobatteries

Press Releases, Wire Stories, and Media Coverage

"Sugar" Rush

Segment on Channel 40 News, 9 Sep 2003

 

UMass Scientists Use Microbes to Generate Electricity from Sugar

Press Release from UMass News Office, 8 Sep 2003

 

New fuel cell uses germs to generate electricity

Article in Boston Globe, 8 Sep 2003

 

Bugpower, the energy of the future

Article in Al Jazeera (Doha, Qatar), 8 Sep 2003

 

Microbe Sweet on Making Power

Article in Science, 12 Sep 2003

 

A Sugar Cube, Please: I Need to Charge My Cellphone

Article in New York Times, 18 Sep 2003

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