Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) have made significant progress in microbial fuel cell efficiency by engineering Escherichia coli (E. coli) to generate electricity from brewery wastewater.
Unlike exotic microbes that require specific chemicals, E. coli can grow on a wide range of sources, making it adaptable for electricity production in various environments. The researchers modified E. coli’s genome to include protein complexes in Shewanella oneidensis, a well-known bacterial electricity generator.
This modification increased E. coli’s electroactivity two-fold compared to previous strains, and the engineered bacteria successfully processed wastewater collected from a local brewery, showcasing its potential for industrial wastewater treatment with simultaneous electricity generation.