A Comparison of Bioethanol and Biochar Production from Various Algal Biomass Samples and Sweet Sorghum Energy Crop

Year 2018, Volume: 1 Issue: 1, 43 - 50, 01.01.2018

Anil Tevfik Kocer Benan Inan Didem Ozcimen

Abstract

In this study, bioethanol and
biochar production from various algal biomass samples (Chlorella minutissima,
Chlorella vulgaris, Nannochloropsis oculata microalgae and Laminaria digitata, Codium fragile, Ulva
lactuca macroalgae) and an energy
crop sample (sweet sorghum bagasse) were investigated. In bioethanol production, acid
pre-treatments were performed with 2 N H₂SO₄ solution at
the temperature of 100°C, and pre-treatment time of 60 minutes. Fermentation
was carried out in erlenmeyer flasks which were placed in a shaking incubator
set to the 150 rpm at the temperature of 30°C for 48 hours. The highest
bioethanol yield was obtained as 44% by utilizing sweet sorghum.  Biochar
production was carried out at a heating rate of 20°C/min, 250 ml/min nitrogen
flow rate and temperature of 400°C in a carbonization retort. The characterization
of biomass samples were performed, and all biofuel yields were compared. Although sweet sorghum as an energy crop has higher bioethanol
production potential than micro and macroalgae sources, especially macroalgae can
be a remarkable solution of waste utilization as a new generation feedstock of biosorbent
and biochar production.

Keywords

Biochar, bioethanol, biomass, algae, sweet sorghum

References

• [1]. L. Matsakas and P. Christakopoulos, “Optimization of ethanol production from high dry matter liquefied dry sweet sorghum stalks”, Biomass and Bioenergy, Vol. 51, pp. 91-98, 2013.
• [2]. J. Yu, X. Zhang, and T. Tan, “Ethanol production by solid state fermentation of sweet sorghum using thermotolerant yeast strain”, Fuel Processing Technology, Vol. 89, pp. 1056 – 1059, 2008.
• [3]. D. K. Kundiyana , D. D. Bellmer, R. L. Huhnke, M. R. Wilkins, and P.L. Claypool, “Influence of temperature, pH and yeast on in-field production of ethanol from unsterilized sweet sorghum juice”, Biomass and Bioenergy, Vol. 34, pp. 1481-1486, 2010.
• [4]. G. Basavarajn, P. Parthasarathy Rao, K. Basu, Ch Ravinder Reddy, A. Ashok Kumar, P. Srinivasa Rao, and B.V.S. Reddy, “Assessing viability of bio-ethanol production from sweet sorghum in India”, Energy Policy, Vol. 56, pp.501–508, 2013.
• [5]. B.Rohowsky, T. Häßler, A. Gladis, E. Remmele, D. Schieder, and M. Faulstich, “Feasibility of simultaneous saccharification and juice co-fermentation on hydrothermal pretreated sweet sorghum bagasse for ethanol production”, Applied Energy, Vol. 102, pp. 211–219, 2013.
• [6]. J. Piskorz, P. Majerski, D. Radlein, D.S. Scott, and A.V. Bridgwater, “Fast pyrolysis of sweet sorghum and sweet sorghum bagasse” Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, Vol. 46, pp. 15-29, 1998.
• [7]. K. Gaurav, R. Srivastava, and R. Singh, “Exploring Biodiesel: Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Microalgal Source”. International Journal of Green Energy, Vol. 10(8), 775–796, 2013.
• [8]. D. Ozcimen, M.O. Gulyurt, and B. Inan, “Algal Biorefinery for Biodiesel Production, In: Prof. Fang, Z. (Ed), Bio‐diesel-Feedstocks, Production and Applications”, pp. 25-58, InTech, Crotia, 2012.
• [9]. B. Glaser, L. Haumaier, G Guggenberger, and W. Zech, “The Terra Preta phenomenon: a model for sustainable agriculture in the humid tropics”, Naturwissenschaften, Vol. 88, pp. 37–41, 2001.
• [10]. S. P. Sohi, E. Krull, E. Lopez-Capel, and R. Bol, “A Review of Biochar and Its Use and Function in Soil”, Advances In Agronomy, Vol. 105, pp.47-82, 2010.
• [11]. D. Ozcimen, “An Approach to the Characterization of Biochar and Bio-Oil”, Renewable Energy for Sustainable Future, pp.41-58, 2012.
• [12]. R. García, C. Pizarro, A. G.Lavín and J. L. Bueno “Biomass Proximate Analysis Using Thermogravimetry”, Bioresource Technology, Vol. 139, pp. 1-4, 2013.
• [13]. D. Ozcimen, B. İnan, A. T. Kocer, Z. Reyimu "Sustainable Design and Synthesis of Algal Biorefinery for Biofuel Production", in: Biofuels: Production and Future Perspectives, Singh R. S., Pandey A., Gnansounou E., Eds., Taylor and Francis, Switzerland, pp.431-460, 2016
• [14]. I. Ponnuswamy, S. Madhavan, S. Shabudeen “Isolation and characterization of green microalgae for carbon sequestration, waste water treatment and bio-fuel production”, International Journal of Bio-Science Bio-Technology, Vol. 5(2), 17-25, 2013.
• [15]. T. Karbowiak, E. Ferret, F. Debeaufort, A. Voilley, P. Cayot, “Investigation of water transfer across thin layer biopolymer films by infrared spectroscopy”, Journal of Membrane Science, Vol. 370(1), 82-90, 2011.
• [16]. D. Ozcimen, B. İnan, "The Utilization of Sweet Sorghum Residues for Biochar Production", Eurasia Waste Management Symposium, April 2014.
• [17]. G.F. Gibbons, L.J. Goad, T.W. Goodwin, “The identification of 28-isofucosterol in the marine green algae Enteromorpha intestinalis and Ulva lactuca”, Phytochemistry, Vol. 7(6), 983-988, 1968.
• [18]. S.V. Dilna, H. Surya, R.G. Aswathy, K.K. Varsha, D.N. Sakthikumar, A. Pandey, K.M. Nampoothiri “Characterization of an exopolysaccharide with potential health-benefit properties from a probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum RJF 4”, LWT-Food Science and Technology, Vol. 64(2), 1179-1186, 2015.
• [19]. S. Kraan, “Algal polysaccharides, novel applications and outlook”, In Carbohydrates-Comprehensive Studies on Glycobiology and Glycotechnology, InTech, 2012.
• [20]. L.C. İrkin, H. Erdugan. "Seasonal evaluation of chemical composition of Codium fragile (Suringar) Hariot distributed in Canakkale Strait (Dardanelles), Turkey", pp. 1-4, 2016
• [21]. R. Harun, W. S. Y. Jason, T. Cherrington, and M.K. Danquah, “Exploring alkaline pre-treatment of microalgal biomass for bioethanol production”, Applied Energy, Vol. 88(10), 3464-3467 2011.
• [22]. J. W. Lee, J. Y. Kim, H. M. Jang, M. W. Lee, and J. M. Park, “Sequential dilute acid and alkali pretreatment of corn stover: sugar recovery efficiency and structural characterization”. Bioresource Technology, Vol. 182, 296-301, 2015.
• [23]. W. Kwapinski, C. M. P. Byrne, E. Kryachko, P. Wolfram, C. Adley, J. J. Leahy, E. H. Novotny, and M. H. B. Hayes “Biochar from Biomass and Waste”, Waste and Biomass Valorization, Vol. 1, pp.177–189, 2010.
• [24]. M.T. Nguyen, S.P. Choi, J. Lee, J.H. Lee, and S.J. Sim, “Hydrothermal acid pretreatment of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii biomass for ethanol production”, Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Vol. 19, pp. 161–166, 2009.
• [25]. J. Kim, B. H. Um, and T. Kim, “Bioethanol production from micro-algae, Schizocytrium sp., using hydrothermal treatment and biological conversion”, Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering, Vol. 29, pp. 209–214, 2012.
• [26]. R. Harun, and M.K. Danquah “Influence of acid pre-treatment on microalgal biomass for bioethanol production”, Process Biochemistry, Vol.46(1), pp. 304-309, 2011.
• [27]. L. Ge, P. Wang, and H. Mou, “Study on saccharification techniques of seaweed wastes for the transformation of ethanol”, Renewable Energy, Vol. 36(1), pp. 84-89, 2011.
• [28]. S. Kumar, R. Gupta, G. Kumar, D. Sahoo, and R.C. Kuhad “Bioethanol production from Gracilaria verrucosa, a red alga, in a biorefinery approach”, Bioresource Technology, Vol. 135, pp. 150-156, 2013.
• [29]. M. H. Yoon, Y. W. Lee, C. H. Lee and Y. B. Seo, “Simultaneous production of bio-ethanol and bleached pulp from red algae”, Bioresource Technology, Vol. 126, pp. 198-201, 2012.
• [30]. Z. Reyimu, D. Özçimen. “Batch cultivation of marine microalgae Nannochloropsis oculata and Tetraselmis suecica in treated municipal wastewater toward bioethanol production”, Journal of Cleaner Production, 150, 40-46, 2017.
• [31]. M. I. Bird, C.M. Wurster, P.H. de Paula Silva, A.M. Bass, R. De Nys, “Algal biochar–production and properties”, Bioresource Technology, Vol. 102(2), pp. 1886-1891, 2011.
• [32]. K. Chaiwong, T. Kiatsiriroat, N. Vorayos, “Biochar production from freshwater algae by slow pyrolysis” Maejo International Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. 6, 186-195, 2011.
• [33]. J. Yanik, R. Stahl, N. Troeger, “Pyrolysis of algal biomass”. Journal of Analyse Application Pyrolysis, Vol. 103, pp. 134–141, 2013.
• [34]. J. Choi, J.W. Choi, D.J. Suh, “Production of brown algae pyrolysis oils for liquid biofuels depending on the chemical pretreatment methods” Energy Conversion Management, Vol. 86, pp. 371–378, 2014.
• [35]. M. Francavilla, P. Manara, P. Kamaterou, M. Monteleone, A. Zabaniotou “Cascade approach of red macroalgae Gracilaria gracilis sustainable valorization by extraction of phycobiliproteins and pyrolysis of residue”, Bioresource Technology, Vol. 184, pp. 305-313, 2015.
• [36]. C. Torri, C. Samorì, A. Adamiano, D. Fabbri, C. Faraloni, G. Torzillo “Preliminary investigation on the production of fuels and bio-char from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii biomass residue after bio-hydrogen production”, Bioresource Technology, Vol. 102(18), pp. 8707-8713, 2011.
• [37]. K. Wang, R.C. Brown, S. Homsy, L. Martinez, and S.S. Sidhu, “Fast pyrolysis of microalgae remnants in a fluidized bed reactor for bio-oil and biochar production” Bioresource Technology, Vol. 127, pp. 494-499, 2013.
• [38]. T. Aysu and A. Sanna “Nannochloropsis algae pyrolysis with ceria-based catalysts for production of high-quality bio-oils”, Bioresource Technology, Vol. 194, pp. 108-116, 2015.
• [39]. T. Aysu, N.A. Abd Rahman and A. Sanna “Catalytic pyrolysis of Tetraselmis and Isochrysis microalgae by nickel ceria based catalysts for hydrocarbon production” Energy, Vol. 103, pp. 205-214, 2016.
• [40]. R. Yin, R. Liu, Y. Mei, W. Fei, and X. Sun, “Characterization of bio-oil and bio-char obtained from sweet sorghum bagasse fast pyrolysis with fractional condensers”, Fuel, Vol. 112, pp. 96–104, 2013.
• [41]. K.L. Yu, B.F. Lau, P.L. Show, H.C. Ong, T.C. Ling, W.H. Chen, N.G. Poh, and J.S. Chang “Recent developments on algal biochar production and characterization”. Bioresource Technology, 2017.
• [42]. F. Ronsse, S. van Hecke, D. Dickinson, W. Prins “Production and characterization of slow pyrolysis biochar: influence of feedstock type and pyrolysis conditions” GCB Bioenergy, Vol. 5(2), pp. 104-115, 2013.
• [43]. M. Adamczyk and M. Sajdak “Pyrolysis Behaviours of Microalgae Nannochloropsis gaditana” Waste and Biomass Valorization, pp. 1-15, 2017.