WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 2016 - Researchers at the Energy
Department’s BioEnergy Science Center hope to boost the efficiency of
cellulosic biofuel production by using
unconventional bacteria that can efficiently break down inedible plant
matter for conversion to biofuels.
The team analyzed the ability of six microorganisms to
solubilize potential bioenergy feedstocks, such as switchgrass, that have
evolved strong defenses against biological and chemical attack. Solubilization
prepares the plant feedstocks for subsequent fermentation and use as fuel.
“Starting with nature’s best biomass-solubilizing systems
may enable a reduction in the amount of non-biological processing required to
produce biofuels,” says Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) study coauthor
Brian Davison. “We’re asking the question – what are nature’s best
biocatalysts?”
The analysis demonstrated that under carefully controlled
conditions, a microbe called Clostridium thermocellum is twice as effective as
fungal enzymes used by industry today. The researchers also tested the
different microbes’ performance with minimal pretreatment of the plant
materials, indicating it may be possible to reduce or eliminate the use of heat
and chemicals that make the feedstock accessible to biological
processing.
“Eliminating both enzyme addition and conventional
pretreatment is a potential game-changer,” says Lee Lynd, an engineering
professor at Dartmouth and a study co-author.
The research team also considered the use of mechanical
disruption techniques such as milling to complement the microorganisms’
biological breakdown.
The researchers note that the study,
the most comprehensive comparative analysis of its type to date and recently published
in Biotechnology
for Biofuels, was designed to provide indications of intrinsic capability
and performance under industrial conditions. They hope their findings will guide
the development of advanced processes to lower costs and improve the efficiency
of commercial biofuel production.
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