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Uric acid oxidation battery

Oxidise uric acid concentrated in kidneys in a unit to produce electricity
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Uric acid is a strong electron doner. Some kind of oxidation cell could use it to produce electricity to power ones bionic implants. Don't really know about oxidative source...haemoglobin? Kinetic batteries could potentially generate alot more but with old folks sitting all the time this might be good as a back up
lostmind, Aug 05 2007

Xanthine Oxidase http://en.wikipedia...ki/Xanthine_oxidase
See also uric acid link, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uric_acid [mayihave, Aug 05 2007]

http://news.nationa...8_urinebattery.html [2 fries shy of a happy meal, Aug 05 2007]

A battery powered by pee... http://www.random-g...e-energy-wee-batte/
...or blood [ldischler, Aug 05 2007]

[link]






       So, um, you pee on it to make it go?
DrCurry, Aug 05 2007
  

       It goes inside you right after the kidneys..prob needs to have blood going thru it or some kind of refillable oxidative agent
lostmind, Aug 05 2007
  

       The natural source of uric acid in humans is the oxidation of xanthine by xanthine oxidase. The oxygen atom added to the substrate comes from water. Do you suggest water should be used as an electron acceptor for the cognate redox reaction?   

       I can't see any physiological way to recover the xanthine so that the supposed battery re-charges. Obviously, the enzyme catalyzes both the direct and the reverse reactions, but unless some syndrome or oxidative stress is suffered, the 'forward' reaction outperforms the 'backwards' one.   

       If you put excess water into the system, you've got both an active person and a water-closet crowding because of regular kidney function.   

       Furthermore, the electron acceptor should be specific to those bionic implants, so, again, either my imagination is too short or the proposal is definitely halfbaked.   

       Mmmmh, in vivo chances are few. In vitro, I really don't know. I bet you could pee into some 'battery liquid container', then tell the biotech guys to feed that into any electronic device.
mayihave, Aug 05 2007
  

       Peepetual motion device?
normzone, Aug 05 2007
  

       powers the urinal toys [+]
FlyingToaster, Jun 01 2008
  

       //strong electron doner.//
Your kidneys produce their own kebabs?
Wow.
sp. "a lot"
AbsintheWithoutLeave, Jun 01 2008
  
      
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