ASTRONAUTS may one day be able to use their spacecraft’s septic tank to keep
in touch with ground control—as long as they have plenty of sugar.
Scientists in Michigan have developed a biofuel cell that creates a constant,
low-power electricity supply by feeding glucose to common bacteria such as
E. coli.
Biochemists Gregory Zeikus and Doo Hyun Park at Michigan State University in
East Lansing have manipulated the bugs’ metabolism to convert them into tiny
powerhouses. They have built a 0.6 volt biofuel cell that can deliver currents
of up to 17 milliamperes.
Bacteria normally break down glucose to…
