Microbial fuel cells are devices that convert biochemical energy into useable electricity. This project uses Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, a chemolithoautotrophic obligate acidophile, to create a regenerative ferric/ferrous catholyte for the fuel cell. T. ferrooxidans gets its energy by oxidizing Fe2+ to Fe3+. We hypothesized that Fe3+ can then accept electrons from the anode and be converted back to Fe2+. The fuel cell did show a slight increase in current and voltage with the addition of bacteria, but the more significant increase appeared to come from the oxidation of Fe2+ by oxygen.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Pistilli, Maxwell
• Hogan, Timothy Patrick

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 01D303M

Advisor

• Miller, Judith E.

Year

• 2001

Date created

• 2001-01-01

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biology & Biotechnology

Rights statement

• In Copyright