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June 3, 2006
Sweet! The Chocolate-Powered Hydrogen Fuel Cell
Researchers at the UK’s University of Birmingham fed Escherichia coli bacteria a feast of waste caramel and nougat from chocolate giant Cadbury Schweppes. The bacteria subsequently burped out hydrogen gas, which was harnessed via a fuel cell to power an electric fan. Of course it was slightly more complicated than that, but you get the picture. Professor Lynne Macaskie, who led the research team said, “Although only at its initial stages, we’ve demonstrated a hydrogen-producing, waste-reducing technology that, for example, might be scaled-up in 5-10 years’ time for industrial electricity generation and waste treatment processes.”
Now that's just COOL!! Who would have thought you could take chocolate and throw in some E. Coli and it could be used for fuel cells??!!?!! There isn't much else to say about this, but it's definitely interesting!
Found via Treehugger.
Posted by Dianne at June 3, 2006 6:01 PM
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Comments
WAY off topic, but here's a cool volcano for you:
http://www.badastronomy.com/bablog/2006/06/03/hello-cleveland-rock-and-ash-and-lava-and-roll/
Posted by: reno at June 3, 2006 7:03 PM
Now that's cool! Thanks for the link! :O)
Posted by: Dianne at June 3, 2006 7:12 PM
I think I'd rather save the chocolate for the humans and feed the bacteria corn cobs or something, though.
Posted by: cjmr at June 3, 2006 7:22 PM
It's actually waste chocolate from the Cadbury factory. I'm assuming that is probably not edible to begin with, but I might be wrong.
Posted by: Dianne at June 3, 2006 7:28 PM
What other food manufacturing waste would work. Could McKee Foods in Collegedale and Chattanooga Tennessee use this in making Little Debbies?
Posted by: Royal at June 3, 2006 8:50 PM