Dehradun: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology
Roorkee have come up with a new low-cost method for production of biofuels.
The research team led by
Richa Katiyar, Centre for Transportation Systems, and BR Gurjar, Department of
Civil Engineering and Centre for Transportation Systems, IIT Roorkee, has used
the algal-based crude glycerol, which is a low-cost organic carbon source and
the main by-product of the biodiesel production process.
Crude glycerol works as a
media feedstock for cultivation of microalgae, thereby reducing the cost of the
substrate to a negligible point.
The research has shown
that the use of the crude glycerol has caused the enhancement in total lipid
accumulation in the algal cells.
The various analyses and
testing post-production of biodiesel produced using this method has shown
better quantity and quality of the fuel and the fuel thus produced was also
comparable to the existing vehicular fuel standards.
Microalgae are considered
as one of the superior resources for production of biodiesel due to its ability
to produce higher biomass and accumulate more lipids, which are the target
material for biodiesel production.
“To increase the rate of
production and to make it cost-effective, we continuously employed the use of
heterotrophic cultivation of microalgae using low-cost organic carbon-based
feed stocks such as agro waste, molasses, municipal and industrial wastes,
algal-based crude glycerol and fruits extracts, “ Katiyar, who led the team of
researchers, said.
“In today’s time, there is
an ever-increasing demand for an alternative fuel as the existing reserves of
crude are depleting at a rapid rate. Traditionally, the production of biodiesel
from microalgae has been a slow process and involves high production costs,”
Gurjar said.
He said the method used by
the team is also beneficial to the environment as there is no biodiversity loss
attached to it.
Moreover, it increases
waste minimisation by using material like agro-waste and is able to produce
enhanced quantity and quality of biodiesel, Gurjar said.
Source: DNA-5th November,2017
