Boosting Microbial Fuel Cells with Biofilm

Filed in archive Fuel Prices on October 30, 2006

Using a slimy matrix known as Biofilm, scientists have been able to increase the power output of microbial organisms responsible for electricity production in fuel cells by as much as ten times! This came from a discovery of microbiologist Derek Lovley of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Biofilms are gluey matrix of sugars that serve as anchors to many free-floating microbes. Biofilms are not uncommon, in fact you may have biofilms on your person (such as those found on your teeth - didn't mom brushing is essential?) or in your homes (check inside your fridge for some gooey substance sticking underneath and in unseen corners!) and normally are a problem to those that encounter them. But the recent research on Biofilms shows a huge potential for improving microbial fuel cell energy generation.

How does it work? The science is a bit involved but in a nutshell, bacteria must be near or at the electrodes to serve the purpose of generating electricity when they undergo chemical reactions, leaving bacteria nowhere near the electrodes useless. With the formation of a Biofilm within the fuel cell, the bacteria at the center of the Biofilm but very far from the electrodes were found to transfer the electrons at the same rate as those residing on the electrodes!

The result of this finding is very significant. A larger production base for electricity means greater output. And greater output means more applications, more research, and a generally wider use of microbial fuel cells.
Read more about this breakthrough here.