Biofuel waste becomes valuable chemicals

Tag : biodiesel sell
HOUSTON, July 3 (UPI) -- U.S. chemical engineers say they havedeveloped a technology for cleanly converting problematic biofuelwastes into valuable organic acids.
Rice University researchers said their techniques promise to changethe economics of biodiesel refining by a fermentation process thatallows E. coli and other enteric bacteria to convert glycerin --the major waste byproduct of biodiesel production -- into formate,succinate and other profitable organic acids.
"Biodiesel producers used to sell their leftover glycerin, but therapid increase in biodiesel production has left them paying to getrid of it," said lead researcher Assistant Professor Ramon Gonzalez . "The new metabolic pathways we have uncovered pave the way forthe development of new technologies for converting this wasteproduct into high-value chemicals."
The research is available online in the journal MetabolicEngineering.