As renewable energy sources go, solar rays have historically hogged the limelight.
But two Virginia Tech researchers have stolen the spotlight from the sun by discovering a way to maximize the amount of electricity that can be generated from the wastewater we flush down the toilet.
Xueyang Feng and Jason He traced bacteria, which led them to discover that the working relationship between two specific substrates produced more energy than either did separately. This work will help take the mystery out of how electrochemically-active bacteria create energy. It could help in the development of new treatment system called a microbial fuel cell.
“Tracing the bacteria gave us a major piece of the puzzle to start generating electricity in a sustainable way,” said Feng, an assistant professor of biological systems engineering. “This is a step toward the growing trend to make wastewater treatment centers self-sustaining in the energy they use.”
Purpose: The goal of the Virginia Household Water Quality Program is to improve the water quality and health of Virginians with private water supplies, including wells, springs and cisterns. Drinking water clinics are held across the state to give people with private water systems access to affordable water testing, help interpreting their water test results, and information about possible treatment options.