JTM³ Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Hi all: Not sure if this is the right forum, but there wasn't any microbiology subforum so oh well... I was watching this show on the science channel and it was about some scientist on an ocean voyage collecting samples of the microbial life. The samples were sent back and their genes were blasted through a super computer and such. Anyway, I was wondering if perhaps one day if/when we are able to program genes, if it would be possible to create a microbe that secretes some sort of sludge/gas that could be used as fuel, or improving Ethanol production? Is that pure sci-fi or is there any hope for some system like that? Could microbes be the finaly frontier in the search for new energy sources? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
insane_alien Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 It already exists. anaerobic bacteria(don't need oxygen in the atmosphere to live) produce methane and are found in landfill sites. we can collect the methane gas and burn it as fuel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forensicmad Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Doesn't some sort of rubbish collection company somewhere actually use the methane from the sites to fuel its trucks? I think i've seen it somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psycho Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Doesn't some sort of rubbish collection company somewhere actually use the methane from the sites to fuel its trucks? I think i've seen it somewhere. Depending of the size of the dump, they might however collecting and transfering the gas normally costs more than it is worth to do anything with it so they just burn it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecoli Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Depending of the size of the dump, they might however collecting and transfering the gas normally costs more than it is worth to do anything with it so they just burn it off. Many plants now use the methane to run the recycling plants, which are usually right next door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTM³ Posted July 3, 2006 Author Share Posted July 3, 2006 Could methane replace gasoline, or is it like ethanol, where it's slightly less powerful? Or could you combine ethanol and methane? BTW: Thanks for the responses so far. insane_alien: It's a shame we aren't switching then!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
insane_alien Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 methane really isn't a fuel for vehicles but you could pump it into the gas pipes for use in cooking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skye Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 It's often called metabolic engineering. http://www.metabolicengineering.gov/ DuPont is spending 10% of their research budget on it, and have patented a GM bacteria that takes high dextrose corn syrup and produces a precursor for a textile polymer. In terms of fuels the idea is to generally to produce fuels from broadacre crops. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/ The main part of these crops is cellulose, and breaking down cellulose to produce fuels on a significant scale is the main long term goal. The US wants to have 20% of transportation fuels produced from renewable feedtocks by 2030. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Dalek Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 methane really isn't a fuel for vehicles but you could pump it into the gas pipes for use in cooking. I've heard of cars powered on natural gas, isn't that mostly methane? http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/ The main part of these crops is cellulose' date=' and breaking down cellulose to produce fuels on a significant scale is the main long term goal. The US wants to have 20% of transportation fuels produced from renewable feedtocks by 2030.[/quote'] That would be awsome, I've always maintained that having a agricultural source for fule would be a superior system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frostbite Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 its not only methane that powers those cars.. its actually a combination of propane, butane and methane. methane has a low octane rate and it will be impractical to use it for internal combustion that is why it is mixed with some other alkyl groups to increase the octane content. i have a suggestion with regards to the "dump-site- collecting-methane-idea", why not collect some stool (a.k.a. human wastes,not sure on the spelling of "stool", sorry) and condemn it in a container, say a septic tank, and gradually collect the methane produced by the methanogens from the baffles or i think they call it exhaust pipes... if you like, try to search it... my memory is kinda misty. hehe ! xiao! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTM³ Posted July 4, 2006 Author Share Posted July 4, 2006 Can't cars run on alchohol or something? Or are all these fuels less powerful than gas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattC Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 Some waste-water treatment fascilities use anaerobic bacteria as part of the treatment of wastes. Methane is produced, and sometimes utilized to generate electricity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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