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Hydrogen from bacteria - Arizona University
Fuel Cells, June 18 2010 (The Hydrogen Journal)
- Scientists at the Biodesign Institute of Arizona State University are developing ways to generate hydrogen from bacteria.
It is developing microbial electrochemical cells (MXCs) which can use bacterial respiration to liberate electrons.
These electrons can be used to carry out electrolysis, creating hydrogen from water.
The MXC looks something like a battery, with a positive and negative chamber. Bacteria is grown in the positive chamber.
The bacteria can feed on waste materials, for example pig manure or other farm waste.
The electrons produced at the anode can join positively charged protons in the cathode to form hydrogen gas.
The study showed that the level of electron flow can be improved by using bacteria known as homoacetogens in the anode. These produce acetate from capturing electrons from hydrogen in the waste material. Acetate is a very favourable electron donor for the anode bacteria.
