Location
University of Nevada Las Vegas, Science and Education Building
Start Date
9-8-2011 10:15 AM
End Date
9-8-2011 12:00 PM
Description
Current biofuel technologies utilize valuable foodstuffs, such as corn kernels and cane sugar, as sources of easily metabolized sugars. Microbes are used to ferment these sugars into bioethanol, a first-generation biofuel. However, in order to avoid diverting foodstuffs from the food supply, the development of second-generation biofuels technology is necessary. Second-generation biofuels are produced by converting structurally complex lignocellulosic biomass, such as agricultural and municipal wastes, to fermentable sugars or directly to biofuels.
The major technological hurdle limiting the mass production of second-generation biofuels is the difficulty in efficiently converting structurally complex lignocellulosic materials to fermentable sugars or directly to biofuels. The discovery of novel thermophilic microorganisms and enzymes that have high activities or broad substrate ranges on plant polymers addresses this challenge.
Keywords
Biomass energy; Energy conversion; Thermophilic microorganisms; Waste products as fuel
Disciplines
Biochemistry | Oil, Gas, and Energy | Sustainability
Language
English
Novel thermophilic cellulolytic isolates belonging to the phylum Chloroflexi
University of Nevada Las Vegas, Science and Education Building
Current biofuel technologies utilize valuable foodstuffs, such as corn kernels and cane sugar, as sources of easily metabolized sugars. Microbes are used to ferment these sugars into bioethanol, a first-generation biofuel. However, in order to avoid diverting foodstuffs from the food supply, the development of second-generation biofuels technology is necessary. Second-generation biofuels are produced by converting structurally complex lignocellulosic biomass, such as agricultural and municipal wastes, to fermentable sugars or directly to biofuels.
The major technological hurdle limiting the mass production of second-generation biofuels is the difficulty in efficiently converting structurally complex lignocellulosic materials to fermentable sugars or directly to biofuels. The discovery of novel thermophilic microorganisms and enzymes that have high activities or broad substrate ranges on plant polymers addresses this challenge.
Comments
Research sponsored by: NSF Career Grant # MCB-0546865 and Nevada Renewable Energy Consortium (DOE), Urban21 (DOE) and NSF REU (DBI 1005223).