bioelectricity
Bioelectricity in plants refers to the generation and flow of endogenous electrical signals — carried by ions rather than electrons — that regulate cellular communication, tissue patterning, and developmental processes. These bioelectric gradients influence how plant cells coordinate growth, respond to environmental cues, and organize into complex structures. Understanding plant bioelectricity opens new avenues for decoding the non-chemical signaling networks that govern development and adaptation across the plant kingdom.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-04-04
Researchers built a pilot-scale wastewater treatment system that combines constructed wetlands, microbial fuel cells, and duckweed to clean up pig farm wastewater — while simultaneously generating electricity. The system removed the majority of harmful nutrients and organic waste, reducing pollution risks to waterways and soil.
The system removed nearly 78% of organic carbon waste (COD) and over 73% of total organic carbon from pig farm wastewater.
Nutrient pollution was significantly reduced: ~62% of phosphate, ~63% of nitrate, and ~56% of total nitrogen were removed, cutting eutrophication risk.
The microbial fuel cell component generated a peak voltage of 478 mV and a power density of 38.7 mW/m², demonstrating real electricity generation from wastewater treatment.
