VATIS UPDATE Article

Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, India, have developed a new technology which will change the way biofuel is manufactured by making the process cheaper, quicker and pollution-free. The new ‘soil-to-soil’ manufacturing technology is in the process of being patented. “2gm bioethanol can be produced from various naturally available ligno-cellulosic components. But to do so it needs to be treated chemically. Because of chemical treatment the process contributes to polluting the environment,” said Dr. Rintu Banerjee, at IIT-KGP.

Lignocellulose refers to plant dry matter (biomass). “We have replaced this chemical treatment with enzymes which degrade the lignin specifically there by making the manufacturing process pollution free,” said Banerjee. Lignin is a complex organic polymer deposited in the cell walls of many plants, making them woody. Explaining how the technology would work, Banerjee said, “Unlike the chemical treatment here the waste product is pollution-free and hence utilising the residual biomass to organic fertilizer is possible.”

“It is soil-to-soil technology, an integrated process where we are using natural resources to extract gaseous and liquid biofuel and then converting the wastes into bio fertilizer. It is an unique integrated approach which we have developed in our lab. The technique that we are suggesting will ensure relatively quicker production of biofuel and that the process is completely green thereby not creating any secondary pollution. This, we feel can change the future of biofuel manufacturing in India and make it more cost effective,” Dr. Banerjee claimed.