TY - JOUR
T1 - Preliminary biorefinery process proposal for protein and biofuels recovery from microalgae
AU - Muñoz, Robinson
AU - Navia, Rodrigo
AU - Ciudad, Gustavo
AU - Tessini, Catherine
AU - Jeison, David
AU - Mella, Rodrigo
AU - Rabert, Claudia
AU - Azócar, Laura
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by PIA project DI12-7001 from University of La Frontera, Chilean Fondecyt projects 3120171 and 11110282, Desert Bioenergy Consortium (Innova-CORFO Project 09CTEI-6860), Chilean CONICYT Doctorate thesis project 7813110017, IDeA FONDEF project CA13I10145, Unidad de Desarrollo Tecnológico (UDT)-University of Concepción.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
PY - 2015/6/15
Y1 - 2015/6/15
N2 - A preliminary study of a new route for the valorization of microalgal biomass including protein and biofuels recovery is presented. The study involved consecutive steps of soluble protein extraction using alkaline conditions, followed by lipid extraction for biodiesel production. After both extraction processes, the spent biomass was used as feedstock for bio-oil production through pyrolysis at 500 °C. The results were compared with pyrolysis using whole microalgal biomass and lignocellulosic feedstock. The new route allowed getting 10% of solubilized protein and only 2% of biodiesel (relative to the total biomass). Bio-oil yield obtained using spent Botryococcus braunii was 33.2%. Higher bio-oil yields were obtained from whole Nannochloropsis gaditana (38.3%), whole B. braunii (39.7%) and pine wood (39.9%). Related to bio-oil characteristics, several protein-derived compounds were identified in bio-oil from spent B. braunii biomass. Therefore, the reduction of these compounds in bio-oil should be a critical target for further research. In addition, considering the low biodiesel production yield, lipid extraction from biomass could be avoided. This would increase lipid derived compounds in bio-oil, improving its heating value. Finally, unlike lignocellulosic biomass derived bio-oil, microalgae bio-oil showed a neutral pH, preventing possible corrosion problems in combustion engines.
AB - A preliminary study of a new route for the valorization of microalgal biomass including protein and biofuels recovery is presented. The study involved consecutive steps of soluble protein extraction using alkaline conditions, followed by lipid extraction for biodiesel production. After both extraction processes, the spent biomass was used as feedstock for bio-oil production through pyrolysis at 500 °C. The results were compared with pyrolysis using whole microalgal biomass and lignocellulosic feedstock. The new route allowed getting 10% of solubilized protein and only 2% of biodiesel (relative to the total biomass). Bio-oil yield obtained using spent Botryococcus braunii was 33.2%. Higher bio-oil yields were obtained from whole Nannochloropsis gaditana (38.3%), whole B. braunii (39.7%) and pine wood (39.9%). Related to bio-oil characteristics, several protein-derived compounds were identified in bio-oil from spent B. braunii biomass. Therefore, the reduction of these compounds in bio-oil should be a critical target for further research. In addition, considering the low biodiesel production yield, lipid extraction from biomass could be avoided. This would increase lipid derived compounds in bio-oil, improving its heating value. Finally, unlike lignocellulosic biomass derived bio-oil, microalgae bio-oil showed a neutral pH, preventing possible corrosion problems in combustion engines.
KW - Bio-oil
KW - Biodiesel
KW - Microalgae biorefinery
KW - Protein extraction
KW - Pyrolysis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84924203929&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.fuel.2015.02.004
DO - 10.1016/j.fuel.2015.02.004
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84924203929
VL - 150
SP - 425
EP - 433
JO - Fuel
JF - Fuel
SN - 0016-2361
ER -