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Journal of Food Science and Nutrition | Volume 2
December 09-10, 2019 | Dubai, UAE
Nutrition, Food Science and Technology
8
th
International Conference on
J Food Sci Nutr, Volume:2
Conversion of Lignocellulose including biosolids and Green waste to Biogas
Conly Hansen
Utah State University, USA
L
ignocellulosic biomass is the most abundantly available
raw material on the Earth for the production of biofuels.
The conversion of lignocellulose into renewable energy and
more valuable chemicals has been limited. Several methods
for increasing the conversion of lignocellulose into energy
by pretreating the feedstock have been developed, but all
of the existing methods have large economic penalties,
e.g. disposal of toxic wastes and greatly increased capital
and operating costs. The discovery and characterization
of Caldicellulosiruptor microbes; extremophilic organisms
capable of solubilizing lignocellulose, suggested a possible
solution to the economic problemof pretreatment. Beginning
in 2014, recognizing the potential for anaerobic digestion
of lignocellulose for biogas production, a multidisciplinary
team including a biochemist, chemist, microbiologist and
agricultural engineer, from Brigham Young and Utah State
Universities has been conducting experiments to determine
if we could break down lignocellulose feedstocks for later
anaerobic digestion. The definition of breakdown in this case
means conversion of organic solids in a high temperature
vessel (175°C) containing Caldicellulosiruptor bescii into
a type of tea that contains mostly acetate and lactate in
water. Results to date indicate nearly 90% breakdown in 18
– 24 hrs. of certain plant materials including grass and leaves
collected at municipal sanitary landfills. Perhaps the most
significant results were that brewery waste that is somewhat
refractory to anaerobic treatment could be partially broken
down (50%) and even aerobic sludge from a wastewater
treatment plant that was previously anaerobically digested in
a mesophilic process and sun dried could be further broken
down (additional nearly 40% destruction). This presentation
will report the results of work we have done to take the
process from the lab to the market; the hurdles to scaling and
commercializing the anaerobic digestion of lignocellulose in
an economically viable way.
e
:
conly.hansen@usu.edu