Alternative feedstocks for renewable green energy fuel

AGRO 149

Ashli E. Brown, ab506@msstate.edu1, Emily R. Easterling, easterling@che.msstate.edu2, Elizabeth C. Rogers, ecr2@ra.msstate.edu3, William E. Holmes, wholmes@ra.msstate.edu3, Rafael Hernandez, Rhernandez@che.msstate.edu2, and W. Todd French2. (1) Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mississippi State University, P.O. Box 9650, Mississippi State, MS 39762, (2) Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering, Mississippi State University, P.O. Box 9595, Mississippi State, MS 39762, (3) State Chemical Laboratory, Mississippi State University, Box CR, Mississippi State, MS 39762
High prices for petroleum have enhanced interest in alternative fuels such as biodiesel. Currently, the majority of biodiesel is produced from the transesterification of soybean and canola oils resulting in fatty acid methyl esters and glycerol, an unwanted by product. Feedstocks which do not compete with food crops and the development of alternative uses for glycerol is needed for biodiesel to become an economically feasible energy source. We examined Hesperis matrinalis, a winter planted annual and Rhodotorula glutinis, an oleaginous yeast, as two potential lipid sources. The yeast cells were cultivated on medium containing glycerol alone and in combination with a variety of sugars. The oils were extracted from both sources, transesterified, and analyzed by GC/MS to identify the free fatty acid content. H. matrinalis generated 23% oil and R. glutinis generated between 16% and 34% oil depending on the medium. The following were identified by GC/MS as the major components of the fatty acid profile: palmitic (C16:0), steric (C18:0), oleic (C18:1), linoleic (C18:2), and linolenic (C18:3).
 

Agricultural Biomass, Biobased Products, and Biofuels
8:30 AM-12:10 PM, Wednesday, March 28, 2007 McCormick Place South -- Room S103D, Level 1, Oral

Division of Agrochemicals

The 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007