Energy needs in the world continue to increase, driving demand at an unsustainable pace. While switching to different types of fossil fuels is possible, it will cause additional releases of carbon dioxide that will accelerate global warming. For the last 30 years, biological approaches for generating energy in a self-sustainable manner have been focused on two large areas: (1) microbial fuel cells (MFCs), and (2) biological production of hydrogen. MFCs harvest electricity from oxidation of organic compounds and/or waste waters. Hydrogen is produced by green algae or cyanobacteria by splitting water through biophotolysis. The PI and collaborators is proposing a third approach - direct generation of electrical power by cyanobacteria through coupling of photosynthesis to an electron-harvesting system in Photosynthetic Microbial Fuel Cells (PMFCs). This novel approach offers advantages over previous strategies, as it promises to produce electrical power directly and in a self-sustainable manner using only the energy of sunlight.
The objective of this research is to evaluate the feasibility of a new concept that aims to produce electricity in solar-powered PMFCs through coupling cyanobacterial photosynthesis with an electron-harvesting system. Toward this goal, PMFCs containing cyanobacterial cultures will be constructed and their performance will be evaluated using electrochemical tests. This work will expand our knowledge on mechanisms for harnessing solar energy. The proposed study is likely to catalyze the development of new technologies for generating renewable energy in a self sustainable manner. In addition, this work will also extend our knowledge on electron transfer between microorganisms, a possible new mechanism of energy sharing within bacterial communities.
The proposed study addresses two of the most urgent crises that human society will be facing in the near future - lack of energy and global warming. In addition to the potential utility of the research itself, the current project will provide great educational opportunities for high school students and teachers. The studies on solar-powered PMFCs will be integrated into learning modules of the SciTech program, a growing outreach program conducted by the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute for high school students and teachers from Maryland and nearby states. Through a PMFC-based learning module, the students will be introduced to a new concept of generating energy in a self-sustainable, CO2-free manner using alternative energy sources.
