Grant: Strategic Projects - Group
Institut national de la recherche scientifique
$163,800.00
Production of lipids for bioconversion to biodiesel using new sludge isolated microorganisms and employing wastewater sludge as a raw material
FY 2013-14
Summary
Wastewater sludge is produced in large quantityand its safe disposal in the environment is a world wide problem. The long term goal of our research is to produce value added products using sludge as a raw material. Demand for fattyacid methyl esters (FAMEs) as biodiesel has increased significantlydue to the depleting crude oil supplies, instabilityof petroleum prices, necessityto reduce GHG and the development of government measures to establish a minimum proportion of biofuel in transport. Therefore, the principal objective of the present research is to develop an economical process for biodiesel production using wastewatersludge as raw material. In fact, we have isolated new heterotrophic oleaginous strains which accumulate lipids up to 60% of cell dryweight and proliferate in sludge. Based on our calculation we find that biodiesel production from sludge has an output/input energyratio of 5.1 and substantiallyreduced green house gases. Therefore, the specific objectives of the present research project are: identification of new strains, optimize the process parameters for lipid production (pH, C:N ratio, sludge solids concentration, feeding strategy, temperature); sludge hydrolysis to increase growth & lipids accumulation byoleaginous strains; to establish scale-up criteria and to studythe extraction of lipids from fermented sludge biomass and conversion of lipids tobiodiesel. The successful completion of the research: 1) will provide a new process for economical biodiesel production; 2) reduce the sludge volume by60-70 % w/w for disposal and hence minimize disposal cost; and 4) minimize production of green house gases through replacement of petroleum diesel bybiodiesel. Furthermore, this research is verytimelyand will aid Canadian industryto develop eco-friendlyand commerciallyviable biodiesel strengthening Canada`s environmental policy. 3 PhD, 1 PDF and a research assistant will be trained on this new subject.
Program
Strategic Projects - Group
Location
Quebec, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
412994-2011
Name nom
Tyagi, RajeshwarDayal
Department département
Centre Eau, Terre et Environnement (ETE)
Organization id
56
Institution établissement
Institut national de la recherche scientifique
Province en
Québec
Province fr
Québec
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2013
Competition year année de concours
2011
Award amount
163800
Program id
STPGP
Program name en
Strategic Projects - Group
Program name fr
Projets stratégiques - De groupe
Group en
Research partnerships programs
Group fr
Programmes de partenariat
Committee code
1566
Committee name en
Strategic Projects Selection Panel - Environment - B
Committee name fr
Comité de sélection des projets stratégiques - Environnement - B
Area of application code
400
Area of application group en
Environment
Area of application group fr
Environnement
Area of application en
Environment
Area of application fr
Environnement
Research subject code
1504
Research subject group en
Environmental engineering
Research subject group fr
Génie de l'environnement
Research subject en
Solid waste management (including radioactivity)
Research subject fr
Gestion des déchets dangereux (y compris radioactivité)
Partie
3
Nb partie
3
Application title
Production of lipids for bioconversion to biodiesel using new sludge isolated microorganisms and employing wastewater sludge as a raw material
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
Wastewater sludge is produced in large quantityand its safe disposal in the environment is a world wide problem. The long term goal of our research is to produce value added products using sludge as a raw material. Demand for fattyacid methyl esters (FAMEs) as biodiesel has increased significantlydue to the depleting crude oil supplies, instabilityof petroleum prices, necessityto reduce GHG and the development of government measures to establish a minimum proportion of biofuel in transport. Therefore, the principal objective of the present research is to develop an economical process for biodiesel production using wastewatersludge as raw material. In fact, we have isolated new heterotrophic oleaginous strains which accumulate lipids up to 60% of cell dryweight and proliferate in sludge. Based on our calculation we find that biodiesel production from sludge has an output/input energyratio of 5.1 and substantiallyreduced green house gases. Therefore, the specific objectives of the present research project are: identification of new strains, optimize the process parameters for lipid production (pH, C:N ratio, sludge solids concentration, feeding strategy, temperature); sludge hydrolysis to increase growth & lipids accumulation byoleaginous strains; to establish scale-up criteria and to studythe extraction of lipids from fermented sludge biomass and conversion of lipids tobiodiesel. The successful completion of the research: 1) will provide a new process for economical biodiesel production; 2) reduce the sludge volume by60-70 % w/w for disposal and hence minimize disposal cost; and 4) minimize production of green house gases through replacement of petroleum diesel bybiodiesel. Furthermore, this research is verytimelyand will aid Canadian industryto develop eco-friendlyand commerciallyviable biodiesel strengthening Canada`s environmental policy. 3 PhD, 1 PDF and a research assistant will be trained on this new subject.
