Many people have surely heard that human or animal urine is a good fertiliser. However, researchers at the University of West England have discovered another good use for the liquid human waste product that gives eco-friendly and sustainability a fresh spin.

The researchers invented a method to charge mobile phones using urine. First, they created a new microbial fuel cell (MFC) that converts organic matter such as piss into electricity.

The cells are full of specially-grown bacteria that break down the chemicals in urine as part of the liquid's normal metabolic process. The bacteria then produce electrons while consuming the matter. The natural process creates a small electrical charge stored in the MFC.

Actually, a Nigerian schoolgirl had beaten the British scientists to tapping urine to generate electrical power as seen in this YouTube video.

Commenting on the new use for urine, Dr Ioannis Teropoulos, engineer at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory where the fuel cells were developed, said, quoted by The Independent, "The beauty of this fuel source is that we are not relying on the erratic nature of the wind or the sun; we are actually reusing waste to create energy. One product that we can be sure of an unending supply is our own urine."

The urine is initially processed by the MFC, which stores the electrical charge in a capacitor. To test their invention, the researchers plugged the device in a commercial Samsung phone charger and successfully charged the mobile unit.

However, the amount of electricity it produced is still minimal and is sufficient only to make one phone call. But given more research and development efforts, the team thinks it could be tapped to power some household items that use electrical charge such as electric razors, toothbrushes and lights.

Since the invention is still in the prototype stage, the device is the size of a car battery, although engineers believe it would be smaller and more portable in the future. The fuel cell costs only £1 to produce.

With the developing technology, people whose mobile phone batteries are blinking warning signs to indicate low power could use the need to piss as an excuse to end an unwanted phone call.

Besides fertilising plants and charging cellphones, find out about the other uses of the golden human shower in the following videos.

RELATED STORIES