Multi-bandgap Solar Energy Conversion via Combination of Microalgal Photosynthesis and Spectrally Selective Photovoltaic Cell.

Microalgal photosynthesis is a promising solar energy conversion process to produce high concentration biomass, which can be utilized in the various fields including bioenergy, food resources, and medicine. In this research, we study the optical design rule for microalgal cultivation systems, to efficiently utilize the solar energy and improve the photosynthesis efficiency. First, an organic luminescent dye of 3,6-Bis(4'-(diphenylamino)-1,1'-biphenyl-4-yl)-2,5-dihexyl-2,5-dihydropyrrolo3,4-c pyrrole -1,4-dione (D1) was coated on a photobioreactor (PBR) for microalgal cultivation.

Co-production of biodiesel and alginate from Laminaria japonica.

A process to produce both biodiesel and alginate in an integrated manner from a brown seaweed, Laminaria japonica, was established. Mannitol, a major carbon constituent in L. japonica, served to produce neutral lipids via the heterotrophic cultivation of an oleaginous yeast, Cryptococcus sp.

Study of Optical Configurations for Multiple Enhancement of Microalgal Biomass Production.

Microalga is a promising biomass feedstock to restore the global carbon balance and produce sustainable bioenergy. However, the present biomass productivity of microalgae is not high enough to be marketable mainly because of the inefficient utilization of solar energy. Here, we study optical engineering strategies to lead to a breakthrough in the biomass productivity and photosynthesis efficiency of a microalgae cultivation system.

Persulfate based pretreatment to enhance the enzymatic digestibility of rice straw.

Oxidation induced by potassium persulfate was evaluated as an economic substitute for the Fenton-like reaction for the purpose of rice straw pretreatment in terms of temperature (80-140°C), potassium persulfate concentration (5-100mM) and process time (0.5-3h), an optimal pretreatment condition was identified: 120°C for 2 h with 75mM potassium persulfate concentration and yielded 91% enzymatic digestibility using 25.2FPU/g of biomass.

Application of Fe(NO)-based as nitrogen source and coagulant for cultivation and harvesting of Chlorella sorokiniana.

In this study, Chlorella sorokiniana was successfully cultivated in the recycled medium whose nitrogen was supplied directly from the coagulant, Fe(NO). With a dosage of 0.80g/L, harvesting efficiency of 95% could be achieved.

Lactulose production from cheese whey using recyclable catalyst ammonium carbonate.

Ammonium carbonate ((NH4)2CO3) was used as an alkaline catalyst of lactulose production from cheese whey. Maximum yield of 29.6% was obtained at reaction time of 28.

Lipid extraction from microalgae cell using persulfate-based oxidation.

In this study, persulfate, a solid-type oxidant, was adopted as a substitute for hydrogen peroxide in extracting lipid from microalgae biomass. Microalgae cells were concentrated at pH 3 and with 200mg/L of ferric chloride, conditions which can activate oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide and persulfate. At a persulfate concentration of 2mM and a reaction temperature of 90°C, exceedingly high extraction efficiency over 95% was obtained, which was higher than with 0.

Harvesting of microalgae cell using oxidized dye wastewater.

In this study, oxidized dye wastewaters were tested for their potential to be used as a cheap coagulant for microalgae harvesting. Two dyes (methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO)) were selected as model dyes, and the Fenton-like reaction under high temperature (90 °C, 1 min) employed as an oxidative treatment option. A maximum harvesting efficiency over 90% was obtained with both MB and MO at a dilution ratio of 5:1 (dye wastewater: cell culture), when the optimal oxidation condition was 20 mg/L of dye, 1 mM of FeCl3, and 0.

Lipid extraction from microalgae cell using UV-Fenton-like reaction.

In this study, UV light was adopted to make it possible to attain sufficiently high extraction efficiency even with a minimal amount of H2O2. The Fenton-like reaction showed 80% of lipid extraction efficiency with 0.5% H2O2, whereas the provision of 16 W UV increased efficiency to 85% and decreased H2O2 consumption to 0.

Lipid extraction and esterification for microalgae-based biodiesel production using pyrite (FeS2).

In this study, pyrite (FeS2) was used for lipid extraction as well as esterification processes for microalgae-based biodiesel production. An iron-mediated oxidation reaction, Fenton-like reaction, produced an expected degree of lipid extraction, but pyrite was less effective than FeCl3 commercial powder. That low efficiency was improved by using oxidized pyrite, which showed an equivalent lipid extraction efficiency to FeCl3, about 90%, when 20 mM of catalyst was used.

Enhancing the light utilization efficiency of microalgae using organic dyes.

Solar radiation is composed of wide light spectrum including the range which cannot be utilized for microalgae. To enhance the light utilization efficiency, organic dye solutions of rhodamine101 and 9,10-diphenylanthracene were used as wavelength converters. Each dye affected cell growth and lipid accumulation differently, based on the response of each to different light spectrum.

Ferric chloride based downstream process for microalgae based biodiesel production.

In this study, ferric chloride (FeCl3) was used to integrate downstream processes (harvesting, lipid extraction, and esterification). At concentration of 200 mg/L and at pH 3, FeCl3 exhibited an expected degree of coagulation and an increase in cell density of ten times (170 mg/10 mL). An iron-mediated oxidation reaction, Fenton-like reaction, was used to extract lipid from the harvested biomass, and efficiency of 80% was obtained with 0.

Efficient lactulose production from cheese whey using sodium carbonate.

An economical method of lactulose production from cheese whey was developed using sodium carbonate (Na2CO3). Three parameters such as temperature, reaction time, and Na2CO3 concentration were identified as experimental factors, and yield was selected as a response parameter. The experimental factors were optimised employing Response Surface Methodology (RSM).

Enhancement of growth and lipid production from microalgae using fluorescent paint under the solar radiation.

Solar radiation has intensity that is too high to inhibit microalgae activity and is composed of wide light spectrum including ultraviolet (UV) range which cannot be utilized for microalgae. For these reasons, the modification of solar radiation is required for effective microalgae cultivation, and to do that, fluorescent paint was used for not only blocking excessive solar energy but also converting UV to visible light. With fluorescent aqueous layer, microalgae was protected from photoinhibition and could grow well, but there was difference in growth and lipid accumulation efficiencies depending on the color; maximum dry weight of 1.

Biodiesel production from yeast Cryptococcus sp. using Jerusalem artichoke.

Jerusalem artichoke was investigated as a cheap substrate for the heterotrophic production using a lab yeast strain Cryptococcus sp. Using Response Surface Method, 54.0% of fructose yield was achieved at 12% of dried Jerusalem artichoke powder, 0.

Direct conversion from Jerusalem artichoke to hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) using the Fenton reaction.

A simple method for hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) production from non-crop biomass of the Jerusalem artichoke was developed using the Fenton reaction, in a mixture of 2-butanol and water. Four parameters (temperature, reaction time, Fe(2+) concentration, and H2O2 concentration) were identified as experimental factors, and HMF yield was selected as the response parameter. The experimental factors were optimised by employing Response Surface Methodology (RSM).

Cultivation and lipid production of yeast Cryptococcus curvatus using pretreated waste active sludge supernatant.

Oleaginous yeast Cryptococcus curvatus has become some of the most promising feedstock for biodiesel production due to their high production efficiency. However, high cost of cultivation, especially substrate cost, hinders rapid commercialization of yeast-based biodiesel. In this study, waste activated sludge (WAS), which is rich in nutrients and organic matters, was examined as an economic substitute for organic substances.