Scientists Bioengineer , E. Coli Bacteria , to Generate Electricity.<br />'The Independent' reports that scientists have <br />reached a "groundbreaking" breakthrough, <br />generating electricity from the deadly E. coli bacteria.<br />Researchers at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de <br />Lausanne successfully engineered the bacteria to <br />produce an electrical charge in a variety of settings.<br />In order to engineer the bacteria to be a highly- <br />efficient electric microbe, the team used a process <br />called extracellular electron transfer (EET).<br />Compared to conventional means, <br />the process resulted in a three-fold increase <br />in the microbe's electrical current generation. .<br />The team believes their process shows potential for <br />large-scale waste treatment and energy production. .<br />The team believes their process shows potential for <br />large-scale waste treatment and energy production. .<br />Instead of putting energy into <br />the system to process organic waste, <br />we are producing electricity while <br />processing organic waste at the same <br />time, hitting two birds with one stone, Professor Ardemis Boghossian, Ecole Polytechnique <br />Federale de Lausanne researcher, via 'The Independent'.<br />We even tested our technology directly <br />on wastewater that we collected from <br />Les Brasseurs, a local brewery in Lausanne, Professor Ardemis Boghossian, Ecole Polytechnique <br />Federale de Lausanne researcher, via 'The Independent'.<br />The exotic electric microbes weren’t even <br />able to survive, whereas our bioengineered <br />electric bacteria were able to flourish <br />exponentially by feeding off this waste, Professor Ardemis Boghossian, Ecole Polytechnique <br />Federale de Lausanne researcher, via 'The Independent'.<br />The team suggests that the implications of their work extend <br />beyond waste treatment, with the potential to be used <br />in microbial fuel cells, electrosynthesis and biosensing. .<br />The team suggests that the implications of their work extend <br />beyond waste treatment, with the potential to be used <br />in microbial fuel cells, electrosynthesis and biosensing. .<br />The team's findings were <br />published in the journal 'Joule.'
