TEAM Description Members and Attributions Official Profile PROJECT Overview Microbial Fuel Cells NirB Promoter LOV Domain RESEARCH Materials and Methods Lab Notebook Safety RESULTS Transformations Electrophoresis Sequencing Outlook HUMAN PRACTICES Renewable Energy Clean Water Basic Research Public Awareness SPONSORS

Microbial Fuel Cells

A microbial fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical reactions of bacteria into electricity. Within the fuel cell certain bacteria under anaerobic conditions will remove the electrons from organic matter and transfer them to an anode, which will then transfer the electrons through a circuit to a cathode. The current and voltage produced by this process is what creates the electricity required to power certain objects such as a light bulb. The bacteria that we are currently creating is meant to optimize the microbial fuel cell's potential, as bacteria that will glow under anaerobic conditions will reveal any weaknesses in the fuel cell, structural or otherwise, which can then be assessed and dealt with.