Researchers at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
are studying ways to harness electricity generated by a unique set of microbes.
“We’re studying the electric eels of the microbial
world,” says Navanietha Krishnaraj, Ph.D., a research scientist in the Chemical
and Biological Engineering department at SD Mines.
Researchers, such as Venkata Gadhamshetty,
Ph.D., an associate professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering
department at SD Mines, and his team including Namita Shrestha, Ph.D., are
working on maximizing the efficiency of what’s known as bioelectrochemical
systems. By understanding the right combination of microbes and materials
it’s possible to harness clean energy for widespread use in various
applications.
Possible outcomes of this research include
new ways to generate electricity and treat
solid waste during NASA space missions, the ability for a wastewater
treatment plants to help generate electricity while turning effluent into clean
water, a new way to clean saline wastewater generated in oil drilling
operations, and better ways to turn food waste, like
tomatoes and corn stover into elec...