Production of Bioalcohol - Study of Various Routes Using Non Edible Renewable Resources

Abstract

Bioalcohol are capable alternative to petroleum derived fuel. combustion characteristics, engine performance , use of widely available biomass of low cost without competing with food and feed production leads to selection of biobutanol from bioalcohol family. Rice straw, corn stover and saw dust was hydrolyzed by applying acid hydrolysis pretreatment and fermented to butanol production by C. acetobutylicum species. Acetone and ethanol also produced in this process. Hydrolyzates of these substrates resulted in production of butanol yield of 0.106 g/gmol, 0.187 g/gmol, and 0.0698 g/gmol respectively. After confirmation of butanol production from non edible sources, effect of change in different parameter was experimented. Initial Sugar concentration was changed to half of maximum concentration of rice straw resulted in 0.039 g/gmol yield. Initial concentration of saw dust were changed to maximum concentration to lower concentration resulted in 0.0455 g/gmol butanol yield while in lower concentration butanol production was not observed. Seed culture concentrations Were also changed but it did not effect to butanol fermentation and give similar results. Temperature apply to shaker bath was changed to 45 ◦C and room temperature from 37◦C , at 45 ◦C butanol was not observed and at room temperature results similar to 37 ◦C. Although bioethanol production has been greatly improved by new technologies there are still challenges that need further investigations. Tremendous focus is essential for developing a detailed understanding of lignocelluloses, the main structural material in plants, from cellulose synthesis and fibril formation to a mature plant cell wall, forming a foundation for significant advancement in sustainable energy and materials. Characterization, understanding and overcoming the barriers for hydrolysis of different raw material is essential for the development of economically competitive processes. Another major challenging area of research is to develop low cost effective enzymes for lignocellulose saccharification of the pretreated biomass. As enzymatic hydrolysis give good result compare to acid hydrolysis. Extensive research in developing new technologies for high solid handling is also a major objective. Improvements in fermentation technology and media optimization approaches have to be performed along with genetic engineering techniques to improve the yield and efficiency of celluloses (enzyme required for breakdown of lignocellulosic bond for simple conversion of sugar) Keeping a realistic perspective one can conclude that several pieces still remain to be properly assembled and optimized before an efficient industrial configuration is acquired.