Dr. McCormick will present on how solid-state respiration, or the use of a solid phase as an electron acceptor to support cell respiration, likely represents an early adaptation by life on Earth to exploit metal oxides as
oxidants. This ability has been most extensively studied in the iron-reducing bacteria, bacteria that respire insoluble iron oxides (i.e., breathing rust)! Recently, we`ve learned that iron-reducing bacteria can be used to generate electricity by replacing the iron oxides with solid electrodes connected to a circuit. These devices, termed microbial fuel cells (MFCs), hold promise as a low-voltage renewable energy source for the future. MFCs also provide a novel method for investigating the physiology of solid-state respiring bacteria. In this talk, I will review solid-state respiration and the principles of operation of microbial fuel cells with reference to experimental work under way in our lab.
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