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UPSC 2011: Microbial fuel cells are considered a source of sustainable energy. Why? 1. They use living organisms as catalysts to generate electricity from certain substrates. 2. They use a variety of inorganic materials as substrates. 3. They can be installed in waste water treatment plants to cleanse water and produce electricity. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 and 3 only
(c)1 and 3 only
(d)1, 2 and 3
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Not attemptedCorrect Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only
Microbial fuel cells employ living microbes as biocatalysts to oxidise organic substrates and generate electricity (statement 1). They can be coupled with sewage or effluent treatment plants, simultaneously degrading waste and producing power (statement 3). They do *not* run on a ‘variety of inorganic materials’; the feedstock must be biodegradable organics, so statement 2 is wrong. Thus only 1 and 3 are correct.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the correct answer to this UPSC 2011 Science & Technology question?▼
The correct answer is option (c): 1 and 3 only. Watch the detailed video explanation in our Sherlocking Prelims course on UnlockIAS.
Which year was this Energy & Environment question asked in UPSC Prelims?▼
This question was asked in UPSC CSE Prelims 2011, GS Paper 1, as Question 7. It falls under Science & Technology > Energy & Environment.
What is the difficulty level of this UPSC question?▼
This question is rated "moderate". It requires sound conceptual understanding of the topic.
How many UPSC Prelims questions have been asked from Energy & Environment?▼
UPSC has asked 48 questions from Energy & Environment (under Science & Technology) across multiple years. Visit the topic page to see the full list and year-wise trends.