cientists at the University of East Anglia have made an
important breakthrough in the quest to generate clean electricity from
bacteria.
Findings published today in the journal Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) show that proteins on the surface of
bacteria can produce an electric current by simply touching a mineral surface.
The research shows that it is possible for bacteria to lie
directly on the surface of a metal or mineral and transfer electrical charge
through their cell membranes. This means that it is possible to ‘tether’
bacteria directly to electrodes – bringing scientists a step closer to creating
efficient microbial fuel cells or ‘bio-batteries’.