Urine eyed as possible power source
BRISTOL, England, Jul 31, 2010 -- UPI
British researchers say they are looking at urine as a possible energy
source for fuel cells that could power autonomous robots.
Scientists at the University of Bristol say the waste product could
serve as the fuel for microbial fuel cells, which use bacterial cultures
that digest waste to create power, ScienceDaily.com reported Wednesday.
A team at the university's Bristol Robotic Lab has spent more than 3
years developing EcoBot-III, a robot that can power itself by converting
waste such as rotten fruit and grass clippings into power.
As part of their research to find the best waste materials that
create the most energy, they will look at urine as a "food" for the
microbial power units, the team leader says.
"Urine is chemically very active, rich in nitrogen and has compounds
such as urea, chloride, potassium and bilirubin, which make it very good
for the microbial fuel cells," Dr. Ioannis Ieropoulos says.
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