Output details

Intermediate pyrolysis and product identification by TGA and Py-GC/MS of green microalgae and their extracted protein and lipid components

Biomass to biofuel is a carbon neutral process aimed at replacing petroleum based products and reducing carbon dioxide emissions.To understand the complex pyrograms generated from algal material we have used, for the first time,the microalga, Chlamydomonas, as a genetic resource and profiled the derived chemicals. An industrially important compound, benzenedicarboxylic acid (manufactured by BASF at 100-1000tonnnes annually)-used as plasticiser for PVC, automotive undercoatings and building materials was generated from pyrolysed lipids. This indicates that algal production of biofuel could be supported by the production of important lipid-based chemicals and this is currently under discussion with Varicon Aqua (JoeMcDonald@varicon.co uk).