Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 22, 2026
10:23
Characterizing Mediated Extracellular Electron Transfer in Lactic Acid Bacteria with a Three-Electrode, Two-Chamber Bioelectrochemical System
Published on: August 23, 2024
2.1K
Nanoparticle facilitated extracellular electron transfer in microbial fuel cells
Xiaocheng Jiang1, Jinsong Hu, Alexander M Lieber
1Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and ‡Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States.
Nano Letters
|October 14, 2014
Summary
Researchers enhanced microbial fuel cell (MFC) power by using iron sulfide nanoparticles to improve electron transfer in bacteria. This nanotechnology approach creates a 3D bacterial network for renewable energy generation.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Nanotechnology
- Electrochemistry
Background:
- Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) offer renewable energy but suffer from low power densities.
- Improving extracellular electron transfer is key to enhancing MFC performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the use of biogenic inorganic nanoparticles to enhance extracellular electron transfer in MFCs.
- To improve power extraction in MFCs by facilitating microbial electron transfer.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a nanotechnology-enabled platform for simultaneous short-circuit current recording and optical imaging.
- Formed cell/iron sulfide nanoparticle aggregates with Shewanella PV-4.
- Characterized the cell/nanoparticle interface structure and composition.
Main Results:
- Observed a substantial increase in current from Shewanella PV-4 after nanoparticle aggregate formation.
- Revealed crystalline iron sulfide nanoparticles uniformly coating the bacterial cell membrane.
- Demonstrated that enhanced current output is due to improved electron transfer at the cell/electrode interface and through cellular networks.
Conclusions:
- Biogenic nanoparticles can facilitate extracellular electron transfer, significantly boosting MFC power output.
- The formation of electrically connected bacterial networks via nanoparticles is a promising MFC research direction.
- This approach advances fundamental understanding of microbial electron transfer and overcomes MFC power limitations.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Electron Transport Chain Components
1.2K
The electron transport chain (ETC) is a crucial metabolic pathway that facilitates energy conversion in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. In eukaryotes, the ETC comprises four membrane-associated protein complexes in the inner mitochondrial membrane. In prokaryotes, the ETC in the plasma membrane can vary in composition, with fewer or different complexes depending on the organism and environmental conditions. These complexes transfer electrons from electron donors, such as NADH and FADH2, to...
1.2K
03:12Batteries and Fuel Cells
24.0K
A battery is a galvanic cell that is used as a source of electrical power for specific applications. Modern batteries exist in a multitude of forms to accommodate various applications, from tiny button batteries such as those that power wristwatches to the very large batteries used to supply backup energy to municipal power grids. Some batteries are designed for single-use applications and cannot be recharged (primary cells), while others are based on conveniently reversible cell reactions that...
24.0K
01:28Microbial Nutrition
1.9K
Organisms exhibit remarkable metabolic diversity, categorized based on how they acquire energy and carbon. These strategies enable survival in various ecological niches and are essential for maintaining energy flow and nutrient cycling within ecosystems.Energy and Carbon SourcesOrganisms are classified as phototrophs or chemotrophs based on energy acquisition. Phototrophs use light as their energy source, while chemotrophs rely on oxidizing chemical compounds. Further differentiation arises...
1.9K
01:15Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs
1.3K
Chemolithotrophs are microorganisms that obtain energy by oxidizing inorganic molecules such as hydrogen gas (H₂), ammonia (NH₃), reduced sulfur compounds (H₂S, S²⁻), and ferrous iron (Fe²⁺). Unlike heterotrophic organisms that rely on organic carbon, chemolithotrophs transfer electrons from these inorganic donors to the electron transport chain (ETC), generating a proton motive force (PMF) that drives ATP synthesis through oxidative phosphorylation.
1.3K
01:28Electron Transport Chains
85.1K
The final stage of cellular respiration is oxidative phosphorylation that consists of two steps: the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis. The electron transport chain is a set of proteins found in the inner mitochondrial membrane in eukaryotic cells. Its primary function is to establish a proton gradient that can be used during chemiosmosis to produce ATP and generate electron carriers, such as NAD+ and FAD, that are used in glycolysis and the citric acid cycle.
The ETC is comprised of...
The ETC is comprised of...
85.1K
01:24Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles
78
Microbial activity plays a pivotal role in the biogeochemical cycling of iron and manganese, especially at the redox gradients characteristic of stratified aquatic environments. These cycles are driven by microbial transformations between oxidized and reduced forms of the metals, allowing organisms to exploit them for metabolic energy and structural purposes.Iron Cycling Across Redox GradientsIn neutral, oxygen-rich surface waters, iron is predominantly found in its oxidized, insoluble ferric...
78