posted by Sumukee @ 5:54 AM |
Saturday, September 26, 2009
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Qteros, a lab based in Massachusetts, has achieved historic efficiencies in our one-step, biomass-to-ethanol conversion process. They have now identified a bacterium which can very easily digest the waste biomass and convert it into rapid ethanol.Research is underway to furthermake their cellulosic ethanol production economically viable and environmentally sustainable.
The Qteros scientist believes that, by using this amazing microbe, one can get 70 grams of ethanol per litre of the fermentation broth in a single- step. This is quite effective on the cellulosic biomass feedstocks which are industrially pretreated.
Clostridium phytofermentans, more popularly known as the Q microbe is believed to have brought the most economical way to derive biofuels from cellulosic biomass. The Q Microbe (Clostridium phytofermentans) was discovered approximately 12 years ago in Massachusetts’ Quabbin Reservoir by a University of Massachusetts research team led by Susan Leschine, a microbiologist at the university. It was collected in a sample for another survey and its potential was not realized until about eight years later.
Why is this microbe different from other enzymes, which are already being used in the Cellulsic Ethanol industry ?1. People might arise questions such as to why this is better than enzymes, the answer is, it , unlike the enzymes digests the cellulosic biomass in a single step while the enzymes undergo a multi-step process to digest these waste. Enzymatic hydrolysis is considered to be the most cost-effective way to make the biofuel, and the Q Microbe is expected to be cheaper to use than other enzymes because it can do its work naturally in one step, whereas other enzymes undergo multiple steps to break-down the sugar molecules.
2.The Q microbe can digest switchgrass, corn stover, wheat straw, sugar cane bagasse, and wood pulp. It generates its own enzymes thereby fermenting the C5 and C6 sugars. Also, the Q Microbe so far has been effective with almost all biomass, while other enzymes only work on particular substances.
See moreLabels: bacterium, cellulosic ethanol, energy, Enzymes
posted by Sumukee @ 3:11 AM |
Friday, September 25, 2009
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This article is amazing! A tiny microbe can simplify the cellulosic ethanol production.
A team of researchers from the University of Florida have identified a bacterium names Paenibacillus, which is believed to make the cellulosic ethanol roduction easier.
This interesting microbe, found in decaying sweetgum tree, can break- down hemicellulose directly, avoiding further pretreatment. Because, earlier the problem faced was that when milder pretreatment was done, hemicelluloses weren’t broken down. Research is underway to find out of there are possibilities to genetically modify the bacteria so as to make ethanol itself. Hence, this bacterium helps a great deal in reducing the preprocessing steps for cellulosic ethanol production.
It is indeed amazing when I sit and think that a tiny organism can save the workd’s energy crisis. Amazing indeed! Cellulosic ethanol fuel is derived from plant material often thrown away as trash. Typically, the processes use genetically engineered bacteria or tricky chemical reactions to break down complex compounds in plant cell walls to produce simple sugar molecules that can be fermented into fuel-grade alcohol.
By engineering the bacteria already being used to produce ethanol to also process hemicelluloses the way this Paenibacillus does, the cellulosic ethanol production will be a lost more easier.
This was a accidental discovery. Actually, the scientist who identified this bacterium was using decaying sweet gum trees ( alligator trees) to grow mushrooms. He further wanted to study more about the genetics of the bacteria digesting the wood. The team has now mapped JDR-2’s genome, and Preston expects that, within the year, they will transfer genes behind JDR-2’s abilities to bacteria used to produce ethanol. This would be followed by the design of processes for the cost-effective production of ethanol from wood, agricultural residues and other potential energy crops.
Preprocessing cellulose is indeed an excellent idea and this bacteria might be the answer for it .But once you get down to getting all the sugar out you can gasify to make more out of the rest. Some companies like Range, Syntec and others have proved that this can be done. The yield approaching 200 gallons of alcohol per ton may be at hand.
See more Labels: bacterium, cellulosic ethanol, woody biomass
