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The United States government has awarded a grant of US$$ 3.2 million to the University of Toledo (Utoledo), in the state of Ohio, in the United States, to continue developing a key technology for the efficient production of biofuel from algae. low carbon. The donation received by UToledo is part of a $34 million fund launched by the United States Department of Energy's Office of Bioenergy Technologies.
The grant supports ongoing research by Dr. Sridhar Viamajala, professor of chemical engineering, to accelerate the production of microalgae through a cultivation technique called direct air capture, which minimizes the loss of organic carbon, a problem that slows the algae production. “This direct air capture process uses alkaline algae that like to grow in highly alkaline waters, which have a pH level above 10,” Viamajala said.
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“Water is normally neutral at a pH of seven. Due to their adaptation to these extreme environments, alkaliphilic algae are protected from predators and other competing organisms and pollutants”, he added.
The oils and carbohydrates produced by algae, which use sunlight and nutrients to grow, can be turned into fuels and basic goods like plastics, products that would otherwise be produced from oil. “This technology has improved sustainability by removing CO2 from the air while creating pathways for oil to move,” Viamajala added.
U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur said, “The University of Toledo is a nationally recognized leader in biofuels research and environmental resilience. This vital partnership is a recognition of the important role played by the University of Toledo and will help advance the critical technological advancements needed to drive our cleaner, greener future.”
By: Leonardo Gottems | agrolink
