Microbes Plus Sugars Equal New Hydrogen Fuel?

Scientists from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Washington University (WU) announced a new method of making hydrogen fuel. According to Mike Cotta, head of the ARS Fermentation Biotechnology Research Unit, the ultimate goal of the research is to reduce the United States reliance on crude oil. Cotta’s team uses bacteria, yeast, or other microorganisms in new fuel cell systems. The team is searching for microbes that ‘eat’ biomass sugars (glucose, xylose, ect…) and are electrochemically active[i]. The electrons, after traveling a circuit, combine with protons in a cathode chamber, forming hydrogen, which can be burned or converted into electricity. Hydrogen is being considered as an alternate fuel source because of its relative abundance, and its capacity to store and release energy in a nonpolluting manor. The problem, is finding a way to commercially produce it from a source other then fossil fuels, which is what makes this research so important. [1]
[i] The microbes can transfer electrons without the need for chemicals called mediators.


I never knew that to mass produce commercial hydrogen, it would currently take fossil fuels to do it. I can understand how research like this is important. It is interesting to think that microorganisms may hold the key to diminishing our dependency on oil. While this is still in the research and development stage, I hope to see this or something similar soon. As a driver, I think everyone’s pocket books would agree with my sentiment.
[1] “Microbes Plus Sugar Equal New Hydrogen Fuel?”, Science Daily, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071026132750.htm (accessed November 5).