Pee Power using microbial fuel cell measuring output

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kbmcgill
Posts: 46
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2016 11:11 am
Occupation: Parent
Project Question: Pee Power using Microbial Fuel Cell
Project Due Date: January 18, 2016
Project Status: I am conducting my experiment

Re: Pee Power using microbial fuel cell measuring output

Post by kbmcgill »

Sybee:

Just wanted to let you know that my son won first place in his regional competition PJAS (Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science) He gets to go to Penn State to present his research. We do have the opportunity to rerun the experiment as the competition isnt until May. Here is where I could use your help.

Per your advice, we could run three trials. 2 with urine and one as the control. We could also try and control for temperature or at least track the temperature. Any other ideas to tighten up the experiment?

Thanks again for all of your help. You were invaluable to us with this project.

Kerry
SciB
Expert
Posts: 2066
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2013 7:00 am
Occupation: Retired molecular biologist, university researcher and teacher
Project Question: I wish to join Scibuddies to be able to help students achieve the best science project possible and to understand the science behind it.
Project Due Date: n/a
Project Status: Not applicable

Re: Pee Power using microbial fuel cell measuring output

Post by SciB »

Wow! That's great news, Kerry. Thanks for telling me. I always like to hear when our kids do well. Please tell your son I am very proud of him and look forward to helping with more science projects in the future.

Recording the temperature of the cell at the time of measuring the voltage is a good idea. While you could just measure the air temp, it would be more scientific to insert the temp probe into the mud--just don't disturb the electrode.

As for which experiments to try, I would say to use the plan we outlined before--add 1 ml urine, measure V at 30 and 60 mins, then hourly for as long as you have time. I predict that the V will drop rapidly within the first 30 mins then gradually come back up. I don't know how long it will take for the V to increase to a higher stable level.

When the V is reasonably stable and the power is hopefully in the 100-150 uW range, try adding 1 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride (urine contains 0.23-1.3% NaCl,http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2088449-overview, http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/assets/co ... sprobs.htm) and repeat the measurements. If my theory is right the V should again drop quickly and then gradually come back up. But with saline only there will be no urea as in urine to feed the bacteria, so the V may not reach as high a level as with urine.

One other thing you could do and that is record when the urine was taken and the color. The darker it is the more concentrated and if the person giving the sample just ate a very salty meal then one would expect there to be a higher NaCl content than if one were just drinking lots of water. I don't know if this matters, but I have been surprised enough times in experiments to know that it is a good idea to test as many parameters as you can.

Good luck and please keep us updated on what's happening. If your son has any questions about the science or the methods, don't hesitate to ask. We want him to understand what the results mean and why it is so exciting to be able to get electricity from mud bacteria!

Sybee
kbmcgill
Posts: 46
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2016 11:11 am
Occupation: Parent
Project Question: Pee Power using Microbial Fuel Cell
Project Due Date: January 18, 2016
Project Status: I am conducting my experiment

Re: Pee Power using microbial fuel cell measuring output

Post by kbmcgill »

Sybee

My son competed today in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Sciience
at Pern Stste University. He qualified bro travel to Penn State by winning a local competition.
Today he took First Place with a perfect score. He also won the Directirs Award
for Excellence. This is quite an honor. Thanks again for all of your help
And advice. I hope this encourages my son to further his interest in science.

Kerry
SciB
Expert
Posts: 2066
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2013 7:00 am
Occupation: Retired molecular biologist, university researcher and teacher
Project Question: I wish to join Scibuddies to be able to help students achieve the best science project possible and to understand the science behind it.
Project Due Date: n/a
Project Status: Not applicable

Re: Pee Power using microbial fuel cell measuring output

Post by SciB »

Hi Kerry,

Wow! That is wonderful news! Thanks for letting me know and please tell your son I wish him all the best in a science career. We at Scibuddies are always very pleased to hear when our assistance enables students to do well in competitions, but your son deserves the credit for he was the one who did the experiments and presented the data.

Congratulations and good luck!

Sybee
kbmcgill
Posts: 46
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2016 11:11 am
Occupation: Parent
Project Question: Pee Power using Microbial Fuel Cell
Project Due Date: January 18, 2016
Project Status: I am conducting my experiment

Re: Pee Power using microbial fuel cell measuring output

Post by kbmcgill »

Sybee:

I need help on a new experiment. You were so helpful with my Microbial Fuel Cell project I was hoping you would help again. I'm trying to design an experiment to test the effects of Electromagnetic Radiation on plant growth. I saw some other posts but I did not see the experiment design.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Kerry
kbmcgill
Posts: 46
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2016 11:11 am
Occupation: Parent
Project Question: Pee Power using Microbial Fuel Cell
Project Due Date: January 18, 2016
Project Status: I am conducting my experiment

Re: Pee Power using microbial fuel cell measuring output

Post by kbmcgill »

Sybee:

I need your help again. After winning last year's state science fair, we are trying to design and experiment to test the affects of ionizing verus non ionizing radiation on plant growth.

Kerry
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