Glycerol Consuming Bacteria

Feb-06-11 A graduate student has discovered a strain of bacteria that can consume glycerol, the waste product of plant based fuels, and can create products that can be used as energy sources.

The student from the University of Alabama at Hunstville, Keerthi Venkataramanan, has been studying the bacteria Clostidium pasteurianum, which is found deep in the soil and is able to fix nitrogen in the air. The bacteria also eats crude glycerol and generates not only two acids commonly found in food, but also, and more importantly, three alcohol byproducts that can be used for fuel, including butanol.
Butanol can be used as an energy solvent as well as vehicular fuel in the same way ethanol is used.

Converting the waste glycerol into useful products also cuts down on waste and pollution.

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[INHABITAT.COM]
[U A HUNTSVILLE]

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