Bioethanol Production from Indigenous Algae

Authors

  • Madhuka Roy Department of Environmental Science, Asutosh College, Kolkata
  • Krishnendu Kundu CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, Ludhiana
  • V. R. Dahake CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, Ludhiana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3126/ije.v4i1.12182

Keywords:

Indigenous algae, Biofuel, Bioethanol, Fermentation, Acid hydrolysis

Abstract

Enhanced rate of fossil fuel extraction is likely to deplete limited natural resources over short period of time. So search for alternative fuel is only the way to overcome this problem of upcoming energy crisis. In this aspect biofuel is a sustainable option. Agricultural lands cannot be compromised for biofuel production due to the requirement of food for the increasing population. Certain species of algae can produce ethanol during anaerobic fermentation and thus serve as a direct source for bioethanol production. The high content of complex carbohydrates entrapped in the cell wall of the microalgae makes it essential to incorporate a pre-treatment stage to release and convert these complex carbohydrates into simple sugars prior to the fermentation process. There have been researches on production of bioethanol from a particular species of algae, but this work was an attempt to produce bioethanol from easily available indigenous algae. Acid hydrolysis was carried out as pre-treatment. Gas Chromatographic analysis showed that 5 days’ fermentation by baker’s yeast had yielded 93% pure bioethanol. The fuel characterization of the bioethanol with respect to gasoline showed comparable and quite satisfactory results for its use as an alternative fuel.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v4i1.12182

International Journal of Environment

Volume-4, Issue-1, Dec-Feb 2014/15, page: 112-120

 

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Published

2015-02-22

How to Cite

Roy, M., Kundu, K., & Dahake, V. R. (2015). Bioethanol Production from Indigenous Algae. International Journal of Environment, 4(1), 112–120. https://doi.org/10.3126/ije.v4i1.12182

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 1 (2015)

Section

Research Papers

License

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