PhD Thesis: Integration of first and second generation bioethanol processes

Ramkumar Nair has nailed his PhD thesis happily today. He worked four years on the concept of integrating lignocellulosic materials into the first generation ethanol using filamentous fungi. Considering 4 decades development of lignocellulosic ethanol (called 2nd generation ethanol), this process still has economical challenges to come into the market, particularly with current low oil price. On the other hand, we have many ethanol plants producing from sugar and grains, named 1st generation ethanol. So, our idea is to integrate these processes in order to make 1st generation ethanol plants to produce lignocellulosic ethanol. Ram has done great job in this line and we hope to see soon the results in large scales. But, first we wish him good luck for his PhD defense on 6 Oct. Here is his PhD thesis, including these articles:

1-  Dilute phosphoric acid pretreatment of wheat bran for enzymatichydrolysis and subsequent ethanol production by edible fungi Neurosporaintermedia

2- Optimizing dilute phosphoric acid pretreatment of wheat straw in thelaboratory and in a demonstration plant for ethanol and edible fungal biomassproduction using Neurospora intermedia

3- Integrated process for ethanol, biogas and edible filamentous fungi basedanimal feed production from dilute phosphoric acid pretreated wheat straw

4- Mild-temperature dilute-acid pretreatment of lignocelluloses for ethanolproduction using filamentous ascomycetes fungus, Neurospora intermedia

5- Mycelial pellet formation by edible ascomycete filamentous fungiNeurospora intermedia 

Entreprenourship in biogas plants

Do we really need education and to be engineer to build a biogas plant? The answer is usually 'yes', even not necessarily to be engineer. However, I have recently visited a tapioca plant in Lampung province (Sumatra, Indonesia). The owner of that plant had practically no education (less than one year in primary school), but in learned from a professor at the nearly university how to build biogas plan. So, he built a biogas plant to digest his wastewater, and  used the biogas to dry the cassava flour at his plant. He has extra gas in some seasons so he used the gas to dry corn cultivated by the nearby farmers. Then, he had the digestate which was good as fertiliser, so he put a large plantation area to cultivate different agricultural products using this biofertilizer. So, it was a successful story. But, it was not ended there. He talked to other people who had similar types of wastewater and built so far 15 biogas plants in Indonesia.

It means the success doesn't need education, but need encouragement. However, there should be an educated man in nearby to help when needed. In this case, a combination of a professor in biogas production and a non-educated but handsome and real entrepreneur person resulted in such great development for both environment, industries and also people. I hope to see more examples of such kind in the future!

(The #biogas digester in lagoon form)

(The owner, prof. Udin and me on the top of digester)

Pigments and fungi

Do you like coloured food? Do you want the color to be natural? It could be from coloured fungi!
Fungi such as ascomycetes Monascus, Fusarium, Penicillium and Neurospora, are being explored as novel sources of natural pigments with biological functionality for food, feed and cosmetic applications. Such edible fungi can be used in biorefineries for the production of ethanol, animal feed and pigments from waste sources. 

We have recently published a review to gather  insights on fungal pigment production covering biosynthetic pathways and stimulatory factors (oxidative stress, light, pH, nitrogen and carbon sources, temperature, co-factors, surfactants, oxygen, tricarboxylic acid intermediates and morphology) in addition to pigment extraction, analysis and identification methods. Enjoy reading it here!

Smart Recycling System

Recycling in Sweden has well developed, where the wastes are separated by people to ca 30 fractions and treated or recycled separately. Glasses (coloured and transparent), metals, packaging (papers and plastics) and newspapers are the recycling materials in large amounts, that a company named FTI has responsibility to collect and send to the recycling. They have the containers everywhere usually in waking distance to each households. However, one problem when to empty these containers. If they come too often, the containers are half empty and transportation costs increases; and if the come too rarely they become full and angry people...

Now, after a test period, 1000 (out of 6000) containers for glass recycling are equipped with a level meter using ultrasound, which measure how full is the container and send a signal to the company to send the trucks to empty them. This system that is developed by a Agade, seems work well and they can save both money and CO2 with more effective transportation.