Lab of Environmental Biology and Life Support Technology, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China.
Biosens Bioelectron. 2010 May 15;25(9):2156-60. doi: 10.1016/j.bios.2010.02.014. Epub 2010 Feb 25.
This study seeks a new way to provide lasting and secure power for implantable medical devices (IMDs) using a microbial fuel cell (MFC) which was proposed to be placed in human large intestine and could utilize intestinal contents and microorganisms to generate electricity. Based on the anatomic structure and inner environmental conditions of large intestine, transverse colon was chosen to be the appropriate location for the implantation of MFC. The performance of the MFC which simulated the environmental features of transverse colon by controlling dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH and was inoculated with simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) was investigated. Stable power generation of MFC was obtained after two months operation with open circuit voltage (OCV) of 552.2 mV, maximum power density of 73.3 mW/m(2), and average voltage output of 308 mV (with external resistance of 500 Omega). Moreover, the changes of environmental conditions in the chambers of MFC did not have a significant impact on human body based on the analysis of pH and DO values. Further studies on internal resistance and power density showed that the MFC could generate power of 7-10 mW according to the size of intestinal surface area, which was enough for IMDs. These results suggested that MFCs located in large intestine could be a promising power source for IMDs.
本研究旨在寻找一种新的方法，为植入式医疗设备 (IMD) 提供持久、安全的电力，方法是使用微生物燃料电池 (MFC)，该电池拟置于人体大肠内，利用肠内容物和微生物来发电。基于大肠的解剖结构和内部环境条件，选择横结肠作为 MFC 植入的合适位置。通过控制溶解氧 (DO) 和 pH 值并接种模拟肠液 (SIF)，对模拟横结肠环境特征的 MFC 进行了性能研究。经过两个月的运行，MFC 获得了稳定的发电能力，开路电压 (OCV) 为 552.2 mV，最大功率密度为 73.3 mW/m²，平均电压输出为 308 mV（外部电阻为 500 欧姆）。此外，根据 pH 值和 DO 值的分析，MFC 腔室内环境条件的变化对人体没有显著影响。进一步的内阻和功率密度研究表明，根据肠道表面积的大小，MFC 可以产生 7-10 mW 的功率，足以满足 IMD 的需求。这些结果表明，位于大肠内的 MFC 可能是 IMD 的一种有前途的电源。
