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Journal of Biotechnology and Phytochemistry| Volume: 2
October 25-26, 2018 | Frankfurt, Germany
Joint Event
Biotechnology & Medical Microbiology
World Congress on
3
rd
International Conference on
Food Science & Technology
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
existingmethods have large economic penalties, e.g. disposal of
toxicwastesandgreatlyincreasedcapitalandoperatingcosts.The
discovery and characterization of Caldicellulosiruptor microbes;
extremophilic organisms capable of solubilizing lignocellulose,
suggested a possible solution to the economic problem of
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.
Speaker Biography
Conly Hansen has completed his PhD in Agricultural Engineering from the Ohio State
University and joined as a Project Engineer for United States Army (discharged as
Captain). At present, he is working as a Professor and Graduate Program Director at
Center for profitable uses of Agricultural Byproducts, USA. He has published more than
56 research articles in reputed journals along with 6 book and presented more than
38 presentations with abstracts in national/international conference/symposia. He has
around 14 significant honors on his name.
e:
conly.hansen@usu.eduConly Hansen
Utah State University, USA
Conversion of lignocellulose including biosolids and green waste to biogas