ARTICLES
Scientists discover Electricity-breathing, Pollution-eating Bacteria
in Hot Springs
By Abdelrahman Mohamed and Haluk Beyenal
In an effort to solve environmental pollution and sustainable
energy, scientists for the first time ever have captured bacteria
that could ‘eat’ pollution and generate electricity. Researchers
at Washington State University discovered the presence of tiny
organisms within the hot springs of Yellowstone National Park
that could transform harmful pollutants into less toxic substances,
simultaneously producing electricity.
For humans, the electrons come from sugars in food, and are
passed out by breathing oxygen through the lungs, while several
types of bacteria dump the electrons to outside metals or minerals
by using protruding, hair-like wires.
“This is the first time such bacteria were collected in situ in an
extreme environment like an alkaline hot spring,” lead researcher
Abdelrahman Mohamed said, noting that temperatures in the hot
springs could reach up to 93 degrees Celsius.
The group of researchers inserted electrodes at the edge of
four pristine pools of hot water, hoping to wheedle the little-
known submerged bacteria out of hiding. They returned to the
hot springs 32 days later to find they had successfully coaxed
the so-called 'electrogenic' microbes – heat-loving bacteria
that 'breathe' electricity through the solid carbon surface of the
electrodes – to respond.
Artist's impression of the bacteria that can resist the high
temperatures of geysers, and at the same time can break
pollution down.
“As these bacteria pass their electrons into metals or other solid
surfaces, they can produce a stream of electricity that could
be used for low-power applications,” fellow-researcher Haluk
Beyenal said.
The team, in collaboration with colleagues from Montana State
University, published their research detailing the multiple bacterial
communities they found in the ‘Journal of Power Sources’.
In order to collect bacteria in such an extreme environment over
32 days, the researchers invented a potentiostat, an inexpensive,
battery-powered electronic device that could control the
electrodes submerged in the hot springs for long periods of time.
While they hope this could be the key to solving both the energy
and pollution crises, the scientists admit it may be difficult to
detect and collect greater amounts of the electricity-breathing
bacteria because of the extreme environments they live in.
“The natural conditions found in geothermal features such as
hot springs are difficult to replicate in laboratory settings,” Mr
Beyenal said, “so, we had to develop a new strategy to enrich
heat-loving bacteria in their natural environment.”
This article was initially published in ‘The New Daily’ on 8 th
March, 2019. STANSW thanks the Editorial Team of ‘The New
Daily’ for their permission to republish it. – Editor
In fact, the majority of living organisms use electrons to power
themselves. All these organisms, including humans, need a
source for electrons in order to live, and also a place to lose the
electrons.
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 68 NO 1