Microbial Fuel Cell Project
Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2022 6:39 pm
Hello! I am doing an experiment with Microbial Fuel Cells. This is the project I am doing: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... cell-urine
I already assembled both microbial fuel cells once, and left it there for around 10 days. I didn't see anything happening. The LED wasn't blinking. The fuel cell was in all of the right conditions. It was left undisturbed, at the right temperature. For my soil, I used dirt from a near by house construction site. When I was done sifting the soil, it was very very fine, and there were no rocks or particles at all. Because there was no activity, I dissembled the microbial fuel cells and am planning to reassemble them again.
Could anyone please give some recommendations on where to get soil? It has to be organic soil, with nothing to aerate it like vermiculite, perlite or peat moss.
If I were to get my soil from outside, do you know if it would be ok if there was a little mulch or sticks or something like that? Because if I get it from my garden, it will extremely difficult to remove all sticks, rocks, etc.
Also, does anyone know if there is anyway to make the bacteria grow as fast a possible? At this point, garden soil seems like the option I am going to go with, but still, any thoughts would be GREATLY appreciated.
[Administrator note: Please be sure to review timeline and FAQ at the bottom of the project: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... -urine#faq ]
I already assembled both microbial fuel cells once, and left it there for around 10 days. I didn't see anything happening. The LED wasn't blinking. The fuel cell was in all of the right conditions. It was left undisturbed, at the right temperature. For my soil, I used dirt from a near by house construction site. When I was done sifting the soil, it was very very fine, and there were no rocks or particles at all. Because there was no activity, I dissembled the microbial fuel cells and am planning to reassemble them again.
Could anyone please give some recommendations on where to get soil? It has to be organic soil, with nothing to aerate it like vermiculite, perlite or peat moss.
If I were to get my soil from outside, do you know if it would be ok if there was a little mulch or sticks or something like that? Because if I get it from my garden, it will extremely difficult to remove all sticks, rocks, etc.
Also, does anyone know if there is anyway to make the bacteria grow as fast a possible? At this point, garden soil seems like the option I am going to go with, but still, any thoughts would be GREATLY appreciated.
[Administrator note: Please be sure to review timeline and FAQ at the bottom of the project: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... -urine#faq ]