The major raw materials for ethanol production are carbohydrates such as starch and glycogen. Naturally these carbohydrates present in significantly large quantities in some algae species. Species of algae such as chlorella, chlamydomonas, spirulina, dunaliella, scenedesmus etc. contain up to 60% of their dry weight starch and glycogen (polysaccharides).
Ethanol is produced from algae by the process of fermentation. The process of fermentation is both easy and cheap. It is carried on by the help of a fungus called yeast, the same yeast that is used for the production of alcoholic drinks. All algae contain three components these are the carbohydrates, the proteins and the lipids. The carbohydrates or polysaccharides can be used for the production of ethanol, the proteins can be used by the food industries and the lipids are used as a raw material for the production of biodiesel. Both ethanol and biodiesel from algae can be used effectively to run any engine such as cars. They both are environmentally friendly and have great impact to reduce the global carbon emission and global warming.
Genetic engineering is playing a major role in developing new strains of microalgae that have the ability to produce ethanol by using the carbohydrates they produced. One good example of such microalgae is a Cyanobacteria called Synechocystis.
Most algae produce ethanol naturally in response to anaerobic conditions or under no oxygen conditions. In anaerobic conditions algae force their cells to enter to an energy phase to produce one ATP molecule for survival. And as a byproduct produces ethanol. Now days genetic engineers are working to increase ethanol production by manipulating the natural response of algae for anaerobic situations. The species of algae such as spirulina, microcystis, chlorella, chlamydomonas and oscillatoria are under the spotlight to improve the production of ethanol by manipulating and enhancing their natural response to anaerobic conditions via genetic engineering.
Ethanol is produced from algae by the process of fermentation. The process of fermentation is both easy and cheap. It is carried on by the help of a fungus called yeast, the same yeast that is used for the production of alcoholic drinks. All algae contain three components these are the carbohydrates, the proteins and the lipids. The carbohydrates or polysaccharides can be used for the production of ethanol, the proteins can be used by the food industries and the lipids are used as a raw material for the production of biodiesel. Both ethanol and biodiesel from algae can be used effectively to run any engine such as cars. They both are environmentally friendly and have great impact to reduce the global carbon emission and global warming.
Genetic engineering is playing a major role in developing new strains of microalgae that have the ability to produce ethanol by using the carbohydrates they produced. One good example of such microalgae is a Cyanobacteria called Synechocystis.
Most algae produce ethanol naturally in response to anaerobic conditions or under no oxygen conditions. In anaerobic conditions algae force their cells to enter to an energy phase to produce one ATP molecule for survival. And as a byproduct produces ethanol. Now days genetic engineers are working to increase ethanol production by manipulating the natural response of algae for anaerobic situations. The species of algae such as spirulina, microcystis, chlorella, chlamydomonas and oscillatoria are under the spotlight to improve the production of ethanol by manipulating and enhancing their natural response to anaerobic conditions via genetic engineering.
