Bioelectric power generation.
In the recent article by Chaudhuri and Lovley, a fuel cell is described in which a microorganism, Rhodoferax ferrireducens, is used to oxidize glucose to carbon dioxide at neutral pH. This reaction occurs via direct bioelectrocatalysis: the microorganism uses the anode itself as the terminal oxidant to which liberated electrons are transferred, and does so with 83% efficiency. These findings are significant because they demonstrate a new approach for harvesting energy from the environment using microorganisms.
Tayhas
G
G
Division of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
Palmore
R
R
D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000382:microbiology / Q000639:trends*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002384:Catalysis; D042621:Comamonadaceae / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004566:Electrodes / Q000382:microbiology; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D005947:Glucose