Grainnet

By Frank Zaworski, Grainnet Editor

Researchers at Rice University in Houston, TX announced June 25 that they have developed a technological process that convert's waste glycerin from biodiesel plants into ethanol.

As the major byproduct of biodiesel production, glycerin has uses in several industries such as the soap market. Finding other uses for this waste material is a high priority for the biodiesel industry.

A group of scientists at Rice believe they may have an answer.

Chemical Engineer Ramon Gonzalez, an assistant professor at Rice, and several colleagues identified the metabolic processes and conditions that allow a known strain of E. coli to convert glycerin into ethanol.

"It is very efficient," Gonzales said.

"We estimate the operational costs to be about 40% less than those of producing ethanol from corn."

Gonzales said the biodiesel industry's rapid growth has created a glycerin glut that has forced glycerin producers like Dow Chemical and Proctor & Gamble to shutter plants. Some biodiesel producers, he said, are already unable to sell glycerin and instead must pay to dispose it.

One pound of glycerin is produced to for every 10 pounds of biodiesel.

In a review article in the June issue of Current Opinion in Biotechnology, Gonzales pointed out that very few microorganisms are capable of digesting glycerin in an oxygen-free environment. This process is known as anaerobic fermentation.

"We are confident that our findings will enable the use of E. coli to anaerobically produce ethanol and other products from glycerin with higher yields and lower costs than can be obtained using common sugar-based feedstocks like glucose and xylose," Gonzales said.

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