Bioethanol Production from Agricultural Waste Biomass as a Renewable Bioenergy
Resource in Biomaterials
A.B.M.S. Hossain1, A.A. Saleh2, S. Aishah1, A.N. Boyce1, P.P. Chowdhury1 and M. Naqiuddin1
1
Institute of Biological Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2
Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Malaysia
Abstract — Biomass is a renewable energy resource with
high potential fuel source for the creation of steam and elec-
tricity, transportation fuel, medicinal manufacturing indus-
tries as well as a solvent in the laboratory. The more efficient
use of biomass (derived bioethanol) is demanded to solve the
global crisis such as depletion of fossil fuel and global warming
(greenhouse gas emissions). It is presently estimated to con-
tribute of the order 10-14% of the world energy supply. De-
mand for biomass-derived ethanol could be significant if etha-
nol became oxygenate of choice. Biomass derived biofuel such
as bioethanol is increasingly applied for automotive purposes.
They have, however, a relatively low efficiency in converting
solar energy into automotive power. Manufacturers of pro-
prietary medicines defended the use of ethanol by claiming
that it was added to prevent their products from spoiling and
freezing. In this study we mentioned the biomass preparation
and fermentation techniques for bioethanol production using
yeast (e.g. Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and reviewed results from
different agricultural waste biomass (algae, fruit and fish,
chicken). We found fruit (pineapple) biomass was higher and
easier to extract than algae and fish biomass.
Keywords — biomass, biomaterials, bioethanol, solvent.
I. INTRODUCTION
Biomass resources include agricultural and forestry resi-
dues, municipal solid wastes, industrial wastes, and terres-
trial and aquatic crops grown solely for energy purposes.
Biomass can be converted to other usable forms of energy
and is an attractive petroleum alternative for a number of
reasons. Agriculture and forestry residues, and in particular
residues from paper mills, are the most common biomass
resources used for generating electricity and power [1].
Bioenergy is one of the most important components to
mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and substitute of fossil
fuels [2]. The need of energy is increasing continuously,
because of increases in industrialization and population. The
basic sources of this energy are petroleum, natural gas, coal,
hydro, and nuclear [3]. The major disadvantage of using
petroleum-based fuels is atmospheric pollution [greenhouse
gas (GHG)] created by the use of petroleum diesel. Biomass
is one of the better sources of energy [3]. Large-scale intro-
duction of biomass energy could contribute to sustainable
N.A. Abu Osman, F. Ibrahim, W.A.B. Wan Abas, H.S. Abd Rahman, H.N. Ting (Eds.): Biomed 2008, Proceedings 21, pp. 300–305, 2008
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development on several fronts, environmentally, socially
and economic [5].
The burning of an enormous amount of fossil fuel has in-
creased the CO2 level in the atmosphere, causing global
warming. Biomass has been focused on as an alternative
energy source, since it is a renewable resource and it fixes
COz in the atmosphere through photosynthesis [6, 7]. Among
biomass, algae (macro and microalgae) usually have a
higher photosynthetic efficiency than other biomass [8].
[9] reported that Bioethanol is an alcohol made by fer-
menting the sugar components of biomass. It is made
mostly from sugar and starch crops. Ethanol can be used as
a fuel for cars in its pure form, but it is usually used as a
gasoline additive to increase octane and improve vehicle
emissions. Ethanol can be blended with gasoline in varying
quantities to reduce the consumption of petroleum fuels, as
well as to reduce air pollution.
[10] stated that biobased chemicals and materials are
commercial or industrial products, other than food and feed,
derived from biomass feedstocks. Biobased products in-
clude green chemicals, renewable plastics, natural fibers and
natural structural materials.. Biopower, or biomass power, is
the use of biomass to generate electricity, or heat and steam
required for the operation of a refinery. In some biomass
industries, the spent steam from the power plant is also used
for manufacturing processes or to heat buildings. Such
combined heat and power systems greatly increase overall
energy efficiency. Paper mills, the largest current producers
of biomass power, generate electricity or process heat as
part of the process for recovering pulping chemicals. [10]
reported that a blending requirement that all gasoline used
in Brazil contain a minimum of 25% anhydrous alcohol
(reduced to 20% in March, 2006);
II. MATERIALS AND METHODS
A. Site
The experiment was carried out in the laboratory of Bio-
resource Science, Department of Biotechnology, Institute of
Biological Science, Faculty of Science, University of Ma-
laya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Bioethanol Production from Agricultural Waste Biomass as a Renewable Bioenergy Resource in Biomaterials
B. Sample collection
1. Algae: Algae (Oedigonium and Spirogyra sp, 56.9 g)
were collected from the Phycology laboratory, Institute of
Biological Science, Faculty of Science, University of Ma-
laya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Oil extraction: Algae were ground with motor and pestle
as much as possible. The ground algae was dried for 20
min at 80 0C in a incubator for releasing water. Hexane and
ether solution (20 and 20 ml) were mixed with the dried
ground algae to extract oil. Then the mixture was kept for
24 hours for settling.
Biomass collection: The algal biomass was collected af-
ter filtration and weighed.
2. Pineapple: Pineapple was collected from Pineapple
project, Subair (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.. Johore, Malaysia.
Juice exraction: Pineapple was chopped into different
pieces and was taken to the blender. Juice was extracted by
blender. Juice was separated from residue.
Biomass collection: The pineapple biomass was col-
lected after filtration and weighed.
3. Fish byproducts: Fish byproducts were collected from
local fish market, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Oil exraction: Fish byproducts were put into the cylinder
and boiled in the incubator at 80 0C for 5 hours. After that
cylinder was taken out and put for cooling in room tempera-
ture. Oil was separated from residue.
Biomass collection: The fish byproducts biomass was
collected after filtration and weighed.
All biomasses were dried and stored for bioethanol pro-
duction.
C. Bioethanol Production Process
Bioethanol can be produced from (i) sugar or starch
crops (as sugar cane, sugar beet, corn and wheat), and from
(ii) lignocellulosic biomass. Different methods of bioetha-
nol production have been practiced by researchers.
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According to the U.S. Department of Energy [1], bioetha-
nol production processed is described below:
Biomass is converted to bioethanol by applying two reac-
tions
1. Hydrolysis is the chemical reaction that converts the
complex polysaccharides in the raw feedstock to simple
sugars. In the biomass-to-bioethanol process, acids and
enzymes are used to catalyze this reaction.
The chemical reactions and involved enzymes in starch
hydrolysis (liquefaction) have been shown below:
2 nC6H12O11 + n H2O ĺ n C12H22O11
Starch (Į -amylase) maltose
C12H22O11 + H2O ĺ 2 C6H12O6
Maltose (glucoamylase) glucose
C12H22O11 + H2O ĺ C6H12O6 + C6H12O6
saccharose (invertase) glucose fructose
2. Fermentation is a series of chemical reactions that con-
vert sugars to ethanol. The fermentation reaction is caused
by yeast (e.g. Saccharomyces cerevisiae) or bacteria, which
feed on the sugars.
Ethanol and carbon dioxide are produced as the sugar is
consumed. The simplified fermentation reaction equation
for the carbon sugar, glucose, is:
C6H12O6 —> 2 CH3CH2OH + 2 CO2
glucose ethanol carbon dioxide
General Process Description: The basic processes for
converting sugar and starch crops are well-known and used
commercially. While these types of plants generally have a
greater value as food sources than as fuel sources there are
some exceptions to this. For example, Brazil uses its huge
crops of sugar cane to produce fuel for its transportation
needs. The current U.S. fuel ethanol industry is based pri-
marily on the starch in the kernels of feed corn, America's
largest agricultural crop.
a. Biomass Handling. Biomass goes through a size-
reduction step to make it easier to handle and to
make the ethanol production process more effi-
cient. For example, agricultural residues go
through a grinding process and wood goes through
a chipping process to achieve a uniform particle
size.
b. Biomass Pretreatment. In this step, the hemicellu-
lose fraction of the biomass is broken down into
simple sugars. A chemical reaction called hydroly-
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