Exploring integrated methodology for phytoremediation and biofuel production potential of Eichhornia crassipes

Eichhornia crassipes (EC) is a well-known invasive weed in different aquatic ecosystems. Its effective and complete eradication remains a challenge. The plant is a heavy metal (HM) hyperaccumulator in water bodies; however, studies regarding its biomass utilisation post-phytoremediation remain limited. The abundant growth rate and biochemical composition make EC a promising lignocellulosic feedstock for biofuel production; hence could be a deterministic approach for solving the twin problems of water pollution and higher energy demand, which are the global pressing issues in today’s scenario. The present study aimed at evaluating the phytoremediation potential of EC followed by proximate and biochemical analysis to investigate its suitability for biofuel production. After two weeks, the EC removed above 90% of Lead (Pb) and 60% of Cadmium (Cd) at all experimental doses. Lower doses of HMs, especially Pb, showed stimulatory effects on E. crassipes leaf biomass (ECLB). The recovered ECLB from Pb contaminated water (1 mg L?1) was further analysed for moisture (89.23±0.86%), dry matter (10.77±0.60%), ash (11.91±1.20%), organic carbon (51.56±1.08%), cellulose (21.89±0.64%), hemicellulose (26.50±1.13%), lignin (5.62±0.83%), total carbohydrate (32.00±1.58%), and protein (20.83±0.52%) content. SEM imaging of harvested ECLB confirmed compact and rigid structure. The recorded peaks in FTIR-spectra (1015.21, 1153.71, 1246.01, 1339.63, 1419.71, 1540.71, 1646.80, 1736.73, 2933.03, and 3263.72 cm?1) indicate the presence of lignocellulosic biomass. XRD peak at 21.55? confirmed the crystalline fraction of cellulose in ECLB. The results of theoretical yields of H2 and CH4 co-generation (HMG) (210.85 mLH2/g DW and 150.28 mL CH4/g DW) and Bioethanol (0.278 g/g DW) derived from cellulose and hemicellulose content of ECLB were comparable to those in reported studies. Overall, this work demonstrates an integrated methodology of phytoremediation followed by biofuel production from the recovered phytobiomass.

Physicochemical Characteristics of Activated Biochar Derived from Different Sources

An experiment was carried out to study the characteristics of biochar made from rice husk, rice straw, Toria stover and bamboo leaves. Biochar was produced by slow pyrolysis system (300 –4000C). Locally available bio-wastes viz.rice husk, rice straw, toriastover and bamboo leaves were used as raw materials to produce chars. Two samples of feedstock each from 5 development blocks of Jorhat district of Assam were collected, dried and pyrolysed for production of char for their physicochemical properties. Per cent moisture and ash content, bulk density, particle density andporosity of biochars ranged from 3.26 to 4.91%, 3.70 to 24.97%, 0.178 to 0.729 g/cm3, 0.85 to 2.02 g/cm3 and 61.54 to 78.90%, respectively. Pore volume, particle size and specific surface area ranged from 0.83 to 1.15 ml, 310×147 to 350×209 ?m2 and 89.40 to 184.75 m2/g, whereas pH ,EC, CEC, total Carbon varied from 7.74 to 9.46, 0.272 to 1.005 dsm-1, 12.74 to16.68 c mol (p+)/kg and 36.63 to 49.424%, respectively. Porosity maintained significant and positive correlation with pore volume (0.715**) and specific surface area (0.614**). CEC had significant positive correlations with total C (0.583**), total N (0.587**), total K (0.443**) and IAN (0.766**).Percent total N, P, K, and S had their value ranged from 47.27 to 60.07, 0.017 to 0.032, 0.237 to 0.453 and 0.083 to 0.099; while, Ca and Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu and Iodine adsorption number ranged from 1.11 to 5.23 and 0.148 to 1.326 c mol (p+)/kg, 16.65 to 2.91, 30 to 162, 8.6 to 43 mg/kg and 186.64 to 489.77 mg/g of biochar

Screening of endophytic fungi for biofuel feedstock production using palm oil mill effluent as a carbon source

Aims: Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is a major agricultural waste product of Malaysia. The aim of this study was to identify endophytic fungi capable of producing biofuel feedstock utilizing POME. Methodology and results: Endophytes were isolated from the Nipah palm tree, Nypa fruticans, and exposed to different POME concentrations (25%, 50% and 75%), with and without the addition of nutrients. The utilization of glucose was measured using the Dinitrosalicylic Acid assay whereas the lipid content in the fungal cells was extracted using the Bligh and Dyer method with slight modifications. Three endophytic fungi that displayed the highest growth on POME were identified using ITS 1 and 4 primers and found to be related to Pestalotiopsis sp., Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Rhizoctonia bataticola. Nutrient addition caused an average increase of 8 times in biomass, indicating nitrogen requirement for cell proliferation. The highest POME concentration (75%) resulted in lower biomass yield. Furthermore, all fungal samples in high POME concentration and nutrient conditions showed a decrease in lipids accumulated per milligram of biomass whereby lipid synthesis was enhanced under nitrogen limitation (25% without nutrients). Conclusion, significance and impact of study: In conclusion, all fungal samples can be classified as oleaginous microorganisms with Pestalotipsis sp. being the most efficient (up to 70% of its biomass). This is to our knowledge the first study that shows the potential use of Pestalotiopsis sp., L. theobromae and R. bataticola for the utilisation of POME as biofuel feedstock and could in the future potentially provide an alternative approach to the treatment of POME with value-added effect.

DesinFix TM 135 in fermentation process for bioethanol production

Brazil has the world's largest ethanol production from sugarcane, but bacterial contamination decreases the ethanol yields. It was shown that the biocide DesinFixTM 135 can reduce the contamination without decreasing the yeasts' viability or negatively affecting the ethanol production.

Cultivation of algae in photobioreator and obtention of biodiesel

In this work we described the cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris in a photobioreactor to algal biomass production. The dried biomass was used as feedstock for biodiesel production, it presented 26 percent lipids and via sonocatalysis stage of the methodology resulted in 60 percent of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). The FAME content was confirmed by Gas Chromatography (GC).