A benthic microbial fuel cell (BMFC) is an electrochemical device that
generates current from the redox gradient at the sediment-water interface. Early
prototypes had anodes buried in anoxic sediments and cathodes in overlying water.
The BMFCs described in this dissertation are based on a chamber design that enables
the use...
Anoxic sediment overlain by oxic seawater establishes a voltage gradient on the order of 0.7-0.8V across the sediment-water interface. This study follows Reimers et al. (2001) and Tender et al. (2002) who reported the development of a seafloor fuel cell to harvest electrical energy from this potential difference. Prototype fuel...
Rates of benthic O₂ exchange are important measurements for determining organic matter remineralization, and can shed light on factors driving biogeochemical processes in coastal environments. Measurement of in situ O₂ consumption and production within permeable sediments, such as those found over ~43% of the Oregon-Washington shelf, has traditionally been done...