Generating electrical power by coupling aerobic microbial photosynthesis to an electron-harvesting system

CBET-0827602Baskakov世界对能源的需求继续增加，以不可持续的速度推动需求。虽然改用不同类型的化石燃料是可能的，但这将导致额外的二氧化碳排放，从而加速全球变暖。在过去的30年里，以自我可持续的方式产生能源的生物方法一直集中在两个大的领域：(1)微生物燃料电池(MFC)，和(2)生物制氢。MFC从有机化合物和/或废水的氧化中获取电能。氢是由绿藻或蓝藻通过生物热解分解水来产生的。PI及其合作者提出了第三种方法--通过光合作用与光合作用微生物燃料电池(PMFC)中的电子捕获系统的耦合，由蓝藻直接发电。这种新颖的方法比以前的策略更具优势，因为它承诺直接生产电力，并以一种自我可持续的方式只使用太阳能。这项研究的目的是评估一种新概念的可行性，该概念旨在通过将蓝藻光合作用与电子捕获系统相结合来在太阳能PMFC中发电。为了实现这一目标，将构建含有蓝藻培养物的PMFC，并将通过电化学测试来评估其性能。这项工作将扩大我们对太阳能利用机制的了解。拟议的研究可能会促进以自我可持续的方式产生可再生能源的新技术的发展。此外，这项工作还将扩大我们对微生物之间电子转移的了解，这是一种可能的细菌群落内能量共享的新机制。拟议的研究解决了人类社会在不久的将来将面临的两个最紧迫的危机--能源短缺和全球变暖。除了研究本身的潜在效用外，目前的项目将为高中生和教师提供巨大的教育机会。对太阳能PMFC的研究将被整合到Science Tech计划的学习模块中，该计划由马里兰大学生物技术研究所为来自马里兰州和附近各州的高中生和教师开展的一个日益扩大的计划。通过基于pMFC的学习模块，将向学生介绍使用替代能源以自我可持续的、无二氧化碳的方式发电的新概念。

CBET-0827602BaskakovEnergy 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.