For many people, tears can be a sign of sadness or frustration, although there are also those who cry of happiness or emotion. For science, tears, such as saliva or mucus, are a possibility at the time of experimentation.
In this case, researchers from the University of Limerick in Ireland found a way to generate an electric charge from pressure on an enzyme called lysozyme, which can also be found in milk or egg whites.
Body fluids transformed into electricity by science
The way in which this protein was converted into electricity was by pressure, being possible because these materials have a property called direct piezoelectricity, which is when they are able to convert to mechanical energy into electrical energy. Piezoelectricity can be found in tendons, bones, wood, and even thought to use it in cell phones to charge your batteries by rubbing with clothes when they are in our pockets.
However, although "piezoelectricity is used around us, the ability to generate electricity from this particular protein had not been explored," said one of the researchers, named Aimee Stapleton. The team report notes that the effectiveness of these lysozyme crystals is comparable to the efficacy of quartz, a material known for a long time because of its piezoelectric activity.
For specialists, knowing a biological material that is capable of emulating the properties of quartz, opens the door to develop mechanisms that are able to collect energy for the operation of many implants in the body of patients. The discovery of this new way of generating energy can give medical science many advances for the future.
Lysozyme could even be used as a coating for implants because it is compatible with the body. It can also be used as an alternative to today's piezoelectric harvesters, which are much more dangerous for humans. It may even have some medical applications functioning as a kind of mechanism that pumps drugs into the body through the energy of the environment, controlling the amount or how often those drugs are released.
There is no doubt that science all the time surprises us, in this case transforming a protein of our body fluids into electricity. The next time you tear, remember that by isolating one of your proteins, bringing it to its crystal form and making enough pressure, you could generate an electric charge.
What do you think about this new breakthrough? Do you think this discovery will have important applications in the future?
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