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Lydia Samuelsen

Mrs. Stevens & Mrs. Radcliffe

Life Science

13 January 2017

Which Type of Soil Generates the Most Power in a Microbial Fuel Cell?

Did you know that 15 million children under the age of five die each year because of

diseases caused by drinking water(Rinkesh). Not only does our world need clean water but

we also need a clean energy source. Microbial fuel cells can help with this. This process can

give us clean water and help save children from disease, but it can also create an energy

source for lower income countries. If you test different soil types with a microbial fuel cell,

the backyard soil from Orange County will contain the most energy.

What is a Microbial Fuel Cell?

A microbial fuel cell is a way of using soil and microbes to create energy off of the

soil. As Logan states, Renewable and clean forms of energy are one of society's greatest

needs. More urgently, 2 billion people lack adequate sanitation. which means that the water

people use or energy is not clean. A MFC(microbial fuel cell) is also can be in different

forms, As it turns out there are different types of fuel cells. Microbial electrolysis cells

(MECs), which involve hydrogen production, which is another way of releasing energy. Also

reverse electrodialysis cells (MRCs) which involve gradient energy which is a reverse of the

other processes, and microbial desalination cells, which involve electricity (Logan).

How Are Microbial Fuel Cells Made? A professor at the University of Durham, M. C. Potter,

came up with the idea of using microbes to produce electricity in 1911. Microbial fuel cells
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are created by the electrons in soil which use the bacteria to create Energy. Microbes at the

organic fuel generating protons which go through the membrane to the cathode, and

electrons, which pass through the circuit to generate an electrical current. This means that the

soil and water work together to pull out the bacteria from the soil. Prior to 1999, most MFCs

required a chemical to move electrons from the bacterial cells to the electrons, which means

this process works together to create a reaction to pull out energy or bacteria. Microbial fuel

cells are made by the electrons in soil that create energy from the microbes. As davison says,

Microbial fuel cell can be put into simple words, Cellular Respiration. Microbes at the

anode oxidize the organic fuel generating protons which pass through the membrane to the

cathode, and electrons(Davison).

How Do Microbial Fuel Cells Generate Energy?

Which Parts of Soil Are Used to Generate Power in a Microbial Fuel Cell?

Microbial fuel cell is used to take bacteria from soil to create energy or electricity.

Most MFCs require a chemical to to move electrons from the bacterial cells to the electrode.

Microbial fuel cells work by allowing bacteria to reduce molecules. Bacterial respiration is

one huge reaction in which electrons move around. Whenever you have moving electrons, it

exists for keeping an electronic force to perform useful work(davidson). These process can

be a big help for our nation.

What Are The Difference Between Different Types of Soil?

There are many different types of soil, soil made out of sand, clay, humus, silt, and

loam(Clouse). Different types of soil may depend on the climate, place found, or how much

nutrients or microbes the soil contains.As don Easter says, the difference between soil is how
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much microbes are contained in that soil (Easter). Soil. Net says, There are numerous reasons

why soils are different. The most influential facts include the material found in the soil. (the

rocks from which the soil has come), the climate and terrain. Also, as well as the type of

plant life and diet presented, and, human influence (Why).

What is The Most Effective Way to Measure Energy?

As Healy and Schwartz say, Physicists say that work as a force over a distance. If you

have an object, maybe a toolbox and apply a force, 22 pounds of force and you move it two

feet, youve done 44 foot pounds of work. In metric those units convert to 100 newtons of

force, and lets say we moved it 0.60 of a meter. So weve done 60 newton-meters of work.

In the metric system thats referred to as a joule, 1 newton-meter is 1 joule (Schwartz).

Energy is the ability to push or pull a distance against a force. Earths gravity pulls down on

an object like an apple or paper., in order to lift an apple away from the Earth requires

energy. We measure energy in joules. To lift an apple a metre off the ground requires one

joule of energy (N.P.).

What Real World Application Do Microbial Fuel Cells Have?

I believe that we could use this process to help filter our air and run cars on clean

energy instead of gasoline, which pollutes our air. Also as Mr. Easter says, This may help

third well countries and help grow plants and boost gardens(Easter). The energy and global

warming causes for nature friendly energy. carbon sources of energy such as solar, wind,

biomass and nuclear energy are being explored. At this speed, when the atmosphere is filled

with greenhouse-gases, which then we can least afford to release stored carbon(microbial).
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As we continue to find ways to use microbial fuel cells, maybe one day our world will be

more clean.

If you test different soil types with a microbial fuel cell, the backyard soil from

Orange County will contain the most energy. Clean water and energy can help our nation

tons, Having clean water can save many lives and help lower income countries. We should

use this process to bring clean and useful resources. Clean types of energy are one of our

world's greatest needs. At the same time, 2 billion people in the world lack sanitation. 5% of

electricity we need is used for the water and wastewater infrastructure. While this can allow

us to use more electricity and help some of these problems(Logan).

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Works Cited

"Ask an Expert: Microbial Fuel Cell Real World Application." Ask an Expert: Microbial

Fuel Cell Real World Application. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2016.

<http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/ask-an-expert/viewtopic.php?t=

14144>.

"Bruce E. Logan." Bruce E. Logan. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.

<http://www.engr.psu.edu/ce/enve/logan/default.htm>."Bruce E. Logan." Bruce E.

Clouse, Ac. "How the Types of Soil Are Different from Each Other." Prezi.com. N.p., 12

Jan. 2014. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.

<https://prezi.com/1-6n7mxp9nbn/how-the-types-of-soil-are-different-from-each-othe

r/>.

Davison, Alan. "What Are Microbial Fuel Cells." ? N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.

<http://www.altenergy.org/renewables/what-are-microbial-fuel-cells.html>.Davison,

Alan. "What Are Microbial Fuel Cells." ? N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.

<http://www.altenergy.org/renewables/what-are-microbial-fuel-cells.html>.

Easter, Donald. "WHICH TYPE OF SOIL GENERATES THE MOST POWER IN

MICROBIAL FUEL CELL?" Personal interview. 30 Nov. 2016.

Logan. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2016. <http://www.engr.psu.edu/ce/enve/logan/default.htm>.

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"Microbial Fuel Cells - Principles and Applications | AltEnergyMag." Microbial Fuel Cells -

Principles and Applications | AltEnergyMag. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2016.

<http://www.altenergymag.com/content.php?post_type=1424>.

N.p., n.d. Web.

<http://declanfleming.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Filling-the-Energy-Gap>.

Rinkesh. "40 Interesting Facts About Water Pollution." Conserve Energy Future. N.p., 06

Jan. 2017. Web. 12 Jan. 2017.

<http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/various-water-pollution-facts.php>.

SCHWARTZ , JOHN, and JACK HEALY "Units of Measurement." Energy-101.org. N.p.,

20 Sept. 2016. Web. 11 Jan. 2017.

<http://www.energy-101.org/units-of-measurement>.

"Why Do Soils Differ?" Why Do Soils Differ? N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.

<http://www.soil-net.com/legacy/schools/why_do_soils_differ.htm>.