Microbes - one crucial ingredient in the future of the energy industry?

In case you missed it. ~ Janice

<http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1599592/posts>Bacteria
could power tiny robots
<http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1599592//^http://news.com.com/Bacteria+could+power+tiny+robots/2100-1008_3-6050161.html>CNET
News ^ | 3/15/2006 | Michael Kanellos

Posted on 03/20/2006 10:42:30 AM EST by
<http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1599592//~neville72/>Neville72

A strain of bacteria that releases electrons as a waste product could
become the secret ingredient for developing fuel cells for spy drones
and other small robots.

Researchers at Rice University and the University of Southern
California have embarked on a project to harness the power of
Shewanella oneidensis, a microorganism that essentially spits
lightning. Rather than consume oxygen to turn food into energy,
Shewanella consumes metals.

The waste product of its metabolic process comes in the form of
excess electrons stripped from the metals but not recombined in
subsequent chemical reactions. The bacteria lives in soil, water and
other environments and can extract its necessary nutrients from a
variety of materials.

In a fuel cell, the idea is that colonies of Shewanella will attach
themselves to the anode, a component inside fuel cells and batteries
that gathers electrons, and produce electrons.

"You can feed them pretty much what is available," said Andreas
Luttge, an associate professor of earth sciences and chemistry at
Rice. "The goal would be to feed them waste water and produce energy."

Hybrid fuel cells--where one strain of bacteria feeds off the waste
product of another to produce electricity--are also possible.

Microbes could become one of the crucial ingredients in the future of
the energy industry. Researchers at Stanford University have isolated
a microbe that turns light into hydrogen, which could become a fuel
source. Meanwhile, Craig Venter, the first person to map the human
genome, has formed a company that will try to develop
energy-producing microbes.

While the concept is feasible, researchers now have to figure out how
to optimize the processes involved in creating a fuel cell. Kenneth
Nealson, the USC Wrigley chair in environmental studies and professor
of earth sciences and biological sciences, will head up the research
on altering the genetic pathways of Shewanella for maximum electron
production. Nealson is one of the pioneers of geobiology and has
conducted extensive research on how microbes survive in oxygen poor
environments.

Luttge and others at Rice will experiment with the anode to improve
bacterial attachment and other parameters.

In the next five years, the team wants to develop a fuel cell that
can propel itself.

The research is funded by $4.4 million from the Department of
Defense's Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative. The
Defense Department is determined to put more robots in the field to
transport equipment, conduct battle operations, or serve as
reconnaissance vehicles. Conceivably, a small robot powered by a
bacteria fuel cell could shuttle a camera or listening device
unobtrusively next to someone.
Received on Mon Mar 20 11:29:53 2006