Electrodes as electron acceptors, and the bacteria who love them

Abstract

When Faraday wanted to explain the forces of nature, he chose the example of a candle. The disappearance of paraffin and production of water was visible in any laboratory or lecture hall (Faraday 1988). However, when the topic turned to electricity, Faraday questioned his ability to provide a tangible example, saying, I wonder whether we shall be too deep to-day or not. Electron movement clearly is a less obvious phenomenon, something that occurs invisibly between molecules, within the candle flame, or at the moment a glass rod is rubbed with wool (Faraday 2000). © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.