Photovoltaic bacteria

[Strange]

An incredibly simple way of making bacteria create little solar cells: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-40975719

[jimmydasaint]

It seems that cadmium is seeded into bacterial culture and then the cadmium is crystallised, as a sulfide compound, on the surface in the form of semi conductors. The presence of cadmium is a limiting factor here.  How much of it is present in the Earth (estimates?) and what is the use of the acetate which is made as a photosynthetic product?  IMHO, this is exciting but at the first stage of making a useable fuel source for humans.

[Strange]

5 minutes ago, jimmydasaint said:

The presence of cadmium is a limiting factor here.  How much of it is present in the Earth (estimates?)

0.1 parts per million (the 65th most common element). A bigger problem is that it is extremely toxic. It has been replaced in nearly all of the industrial uses it had in the past.

[jimmydasaint]

Thanks for that quick answer.  Of course, heavy metals are required for the photochemisynthetic method. That makes it a health and safety hazard then and so unlikely to be used unless there is a secondary reaction where the acetate made is converted into a carbon-based fuel.  That is  a whole new field of investigation.