Chapter 1 Flashcards
What is a microbial fuel cell?
A bio-electrochemical system that produces electric current using the electrons produced by oxidation of organic material by bacteria, and oxygen as an electron acceptor.
What happens at the anode?
The electrons produced by anaerobic oxidation are collected
What happens at the cathode?
The oxygen bought in by the wave movement, acts as the electron acceptor at the cathode.
Cathode rn?
electron+4(Hydrogen Ions)+Oxygen= 2(Water)
Electron Donor?
The organic matter produces electrons by the anaerobic digestion by bacteria.(At Anode)
Electron Acceptor?
The oxygen molecules at cathode.
What is a live sediment?
The organic matter that produces electricity when electrodes are inserted into it.
The unit of power generation at electrode interface
W/m2
How to increase the electricity produced?
By introducing more feed.
What happens when electrodes are introduced into a sterile control?
No current is produced, which implies that MOs are required for electricity production.
Direction of travel of current in a MFC?
Anode to Cathode
What are the steps of anaerobic digestion?
Hydrolysis, Acidogenesis, Acetogenesis, Methanogenesis
What is hydrolysis?
The process by which complex biomolecules are broken down into simpler ones.
Anaerobic digestion flowchart.
Draw it!
Haber-Bosch Process?
N2+3H2===2NH3 (at 200 atm pressure and 450 degC temp)
The enzyme found in prokaryotes which help in nitrogen fixation?
Nitrogenase
Prokaryotic nitrogen fixation rn?
8e- + 8H++ N2 === 2NH3+H2
Application of bioengineering in nitrogenase system?
The amalgamation of photosystems(from plants) and nitrogenase system(from prokaryotes) to produce hydrogen. (continuous system to produce hydrogen)
Explain the roles of the components of the plant-bacteria hybrid system
Photosystem produces the electrons and ATP, and the nitrogenase system converts it into hydrogen
Bacillus thuringiensis characters:
Spore forming, they produce the Bt toxin
In what form is the toxin stored in the bacterium?
Protoxin(inactive)
Where are they stored inside the bacterium?
Parasporal bodies
What are parasporal bodies?
They are crystalline structures found in the core of endospores, and they house endotoxins.
modus operandi of the Bt toxin
insect ingests the parasporal body—-proteolytic cleavage of the parasporal body–release of the Bt toxin—the toxin gets embedded in the membrane of the gut epithelial cells—this causes loss of ATP—insects stop feeding, gets dehydrated and dies.
