Swiss scientists have engineered E. coli bacteria capable of generating electricity.
Swiss scientists have achieved a rather intriguing feat by engineering E. coli bacteria capable of generating electricity. This breakthrough, originating in Lausanne, holds significant promise for transforming both wastewater treatment and energy production and storage methods.
Modified E. coli Bacteria Now Power Generators
Researchers from the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) have confirmed their successful alteration of E. coli bacteria to enable electricity generation. Professor Ardemis Boghossian, the project’s leader at the university, explained that these modified bacteria can harness the energy potential of wastewater and various compounds.
The EPFL’s press release elaborated on this development, noting that while some naturally occurring microbes can generate electricity, they do so under specific conditions and with particular substances. Through a process known as extracellular electron transfer, the E. coli bacteria have been transformed to generate power as part of their basic metabolic processes.
Revolutionizing Energy Production and Recycling
Professor Boghossian highlighted the significance of this innovation by stating, “Rather than injecting energy into the system to process organic waste, we now produce electricity during the organic waste processing, achieving two goals with one solution.” The researchers even conducted successful tests using wastewater collected from a brewery in Lausanne, where the modified electric bacteria rapidly multiplied by consuming the waste.
This groundbreaking development holds the potential to revolutionize organic waste treatment methods and may lead to the use of modified E. coli bacteria in eco-friendly fuel cells and other sustainable technologies.
