Source Of Biofuel Research Articles

Submerged cultivation of Nigrospora sp. in batch and fed-batch modes for microbial oil production

Microbial lipids are a valuable source of potential biofuels and essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. The optimization of the fermentation conditions is a strategy that affects the total lipid concentration. The genus Nigrospora sp. has been the target of investigations based on its potential bioherbicidal action. Therefore, this study developed a strategy to maximize the biomass concentration and lipid accumulation by Nigrospora sp. in submerged fermentation. Different media compositions and process variables were investigated in shaken flasks and bioreactor in batch and fed-batch modes. Maximum biomass concentration and lipid accumulations were 40.17 g/L and 21.32 wt% in the bioreactor, which was 2.1 and 5.4 times higher than the same condition in shaken flasks, respectively. This study presents relevant information to the production of fungal lipids since few investigations are exploring the fed-batch strategy to increase the yield of fungi lipids, as well as few studies investigating Nigrospora sp. to produce lipids.

The impact of hydro-biofuel-wind-solar energy consumption and coal consumption on carbon emission in G20 countries.

Globally, as a renewable source of energy, biofuel, wind, solar, and hydro energy have been increasingly valued by a range of businesses. There is no denying the advantages of using renewable energy in terms of preventing climate change and protecting the environment. Therefore, this article investigates the relationship among hydro, solar, biofuel, wind, coal consumption, and CO2 emissions in 19 G20 member countries between 2000 and 2019. The results of dynamic fixed effects and the system-generalized method of moments suggest that solar energy and biofuel usage have a negative and statistically significant influence on carbon emissions. On the other hand, the impact of wind energy consumption on carbon dioxide emissions is positive and statistically significant. However, hydro energy consumption is statistically insignificant. The significance of this study is to include wind energy, solar energy, and hydro energy as new indicators for a group of 19 G20 member countries. Furthermore, this research paper also includes coal consumption in the existing model to confirm that CO2 emissions may rise if more coal is consumed. Growing the solar-hydro-biofuel-wind industry can reduce nonrenewable energy consumption and has tremendous potential to diminish carbon dioxide emissions.

Impact of Ascorbic Acid on Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticle and UV-B Mediated Stress in the Cyanobacterium, Fremyella diplosiphon.

Fremyella diplosiphon is an ideal third-generation biofuel source due to its ability to produce transesterified lipids. While nanofer 25s zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVIs) improve lipid production, an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cellular defense can be catastrophic to the organism. In the present study, the effect of ascorbic acid on nZVI and UV-induced stress in F. diplosiphon strain B481-SD was investigated, and lipid profiles in the combination regimen of nZVIs and ascorbic acid compared. Comparison of F. diplosiphon growth in BG11 media amended with 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 mM ascorbic acid indicated 6 mM to be optimal for the growth of B481-SD. Further, growth in 6 mM ascorbic acid combined with 3.2 mg/L nZVIs was significantly higher when compared to the combination regimen of 12.8 and 51.2 mg/L of nZVIs and 6 mM ascorbic acid. The reversal effect of UV-B radiation for 30 min and 1 h indicated that ascorbic acid restored B481-SD growth. Transesterified lipids characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry indicated C16 hexadecanoate to be the most abundant fatty acid methyl ester in the combination regimen of 6 mM ascorbic acid and 12.8 mg/L nZVI-treated F. diplosiphon. These findings were supported by microscopic observations in which cellular degradation was observed in B481-SD cells treated with 6 mM ascorbic acid and 12.8 mg/L nZVIs. Our results indicate that ascorbic acid counteracts the damaging effect of oxidative stress produced by nZVIs.

Second-Generation Bio-Fuels: Strategies for Employing Degraded Land for Climate Change Mitigation Meeting United Nation-Sustainable Development Goals

Increased Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from both natural and man-made systems contribute to climate change. In addition to reducing the use of crude petroleum’s derived fuels, and increasing tree-planting efforts and sustainable practices, air pollution can be minimized through phytoremediation. Bio-fuel from crops grown on marginal land can sustainably address climate change, global warming, and geopolitical issues. There are numerous methods for producing renewable energy from both organic and inorganic environmental resources (sunlight, air, water, tides, waves, and convective energy), and numerous technologies for doing the same with biomass with different properties and derived from different sources (food industry, agriculture, forestry). However, the production of bio-fuels is challenging and contentious in many parts of the world since it competes for soil with the growth of crops and may be harmful to the environment. Therefore, it is necessary to use wildlife management techniques to provide sustainable bio-energy while maintaining or even improving essential ecosystem processes. The second generation of bio-fuels is viewed as a solution to the serious issue. Agricultural lignocellulosic waste is the primary source of second-generation bio-fuel, possibly the bio-fuel of the future. Sustainable practices to grow biomass, followed by their holistic conversion into ethanol with desired yield and productivity, are the key concerns for employing renewable energy mix successfully. In this paper, we analyze the various types of bio-fuels, their sources, and their production and impact on sustainability.

Essential Oil Composition of Grindelia squarrosa from Southern Idaho.

Grindelia squarrosa is an arid lands herb that has been used in Native American traditional medicine, is a potential source of pharmacologically active compounds, and has been explored as a source of biofuel. The purpose of this work was to examine the essential oil composition of G. squarrosa from southern Idaho. Gas chromatographic methods revealed the essential oil of G. squarrosa var. serrulata to be rich in monoterpenoids, α-pinene (21.9%), limonene (17.1%), terpinolene (10.6%), and borneol (6.5%). The essential oil composition of G. squarrosa from Idaho is similar to that previously reported from specimens collected from Montana and confirms the volatile phytochemistry of plants growing in North America. The major essential oil components were screened for antimicrobial activity against respiratory and dermal pathogens. (-)-β-Pinene showed strong antibacterial activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae (MIC 39.1 μg/mL) and (-)-borneol showed strong activity against Staphylococcus aureus (MIC 78.1 μg/mL).

Performance and emission characteristics of Waste cooking oil biodiesel blended with nano additives on single cylinder diesel engine

In this paper, used cooking oil was investigated as a possible source of biofuel and blending with nano particles which increases the efficiency of biofuel, reduces the emissions, and ensures that the fuel burns completely. The (CeO2) cerium oxide and (MgO) magnesium oxide nano particles are blended with WCO using magnetic stirrer and ultrasonicator. The test being conducted using the sequence of fuel blends: 80% of diesel and 20% of WCO biofuel and 30 ppm Cerium oxide, 90% of diesel and 10% of WCO biofuel and 45 ppm of Cerium oxide, 80% of diesel and 20% of WCO biofuel and 30 ppm magnesium oxide, 90% of Diesel and 10% of WCO biofuel and 45 ppm magnesium oxide and testing its properties which include density, Kinematic Viscosity, Flash and fire point, Calorific value and using a variable compression ratio (VCR) engine, we test its BP, BTHE, SFC, and emissions characteristics such as NOx, CO, HC, CO2, and O2. Evaluating different blends and determining which one is a renewable alternative fuel by comparing their characteristics. Overall analysis shows that the B10CeO2 blend and B20CeO2 blend produces lower density, lowest kinematic viscosity, the highest flash and fire point and highest calorific value and B20CeO2 blend is more efficient than other biofuel blends. It gives higher BTHE and lower SFC. It also produces less HC, NOx, CO2 emission and high O2. That concludes B20CeO2 45 PPM blend indicating that the use of blended WCOB has the potential to be a more environmentally friendly alternative fuel.

DESIGNED ORF PROTEIN FOR SUSTAINABLE THIRD GENERATION BIOFUEL PRODUCTION

The increasing global energy demands and depletion of fossil fuels urge us to develop alternative energy resources. In recent years, algae has gained much attention as a third-generation biofuel feedstock. Among Algae, microalgae are considered a good source of biofuels because of their relatively more oil concentration and rapid production of biomass. Microalgae have the ability to produce a wide variety of biofuels including bio-oil, bio-diesel, bio-syngas, and bio-hydrogen. Commercial production of biofuels from microalgae is presently not in use because of the high expense of production. This research was designed to produce a hybrid ORF that might enhance the oil yielding ability of the microalgae by its translation into a working protein. Ban y using an intensive literature survey, 6 genes from 3 microalgae species were selected. Further, ORFs of selected genes were identified and Hybrid ORF was constructed by combining those ORFs. After that restriction enzyme analysis and thermodynamic analysis of the hybrid nucleotide sequence was carried out, and this showed that the hybrid sequence was stable. The Hybrid ORF nucleotide sequence was translated into the protein sequence. This protein sequence was used for the homology modeling of Hybrid ORF proteins. The protein conformation predicted by homology modeling was further verified by Ramachandran plot. The metabolic pathways were analyzed by KEGG, which showed that all selected genes were functioning in the biosynthesis of lipids. This showed that the Hybrid ORF constructed could be used in a way to enhance the oil content of microalgae for producing biofuel, particularly biodiesel. These results can be validated by further in vitro analysis and can be used for the construction of genetically engineered microalgae.

Optimizing engine performance and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases through spirulina microalgae and nano-additive blends

The shift in focus towards biofuels has led to the attention towards fourth-generation fuels, particularly microalgae, due to its high oil productivity and simple cultivation processes. The current study aimed to examine the effects of spirulina microalgae blends in a naturally aspirated diesel engine by testing two blend percentages (15% and 30%) and incorporating Fe2O3 nanoparticles (75 ppm). A series of test conducted in a single-cylinder engine with an optimum compression ratio of 17.5. The fuels tested include 100% diesel (D0), diesel with Fe2O3 nanoparticles (DF), diesel with 15% microalgae blends (B15), diesel with 15% microalgae blends and Fe2O3 nanoparticles (B15F), diesel with 30% microalgae blends (B30), and diesel with 30% microalgae blends and Fe2O3 nanoparticles (B30F). The results showed that the addition of microalgae blends led to a marginal increase in engine performance, while the addition of Fe2O3 nanoparticles led to a significant increase in brake thermal efficiency and decreased fuel consumption. The emissions rate was also lower compared to diesel, but the addition of Fe2O3 nanoparticles increased the oxygen content in the fuel, thereby improving the combustion rates. By ensuring the complete combustion the formation of CO2, HC and smoke intensity was also found to be significantly lower compared to diesel fuel. On the contrary, NOx increased due to the cylinder temperatures. This research highlights the potential of using microalgae as a sustainable source of biofuel, and the positive effects of adding Fe2O3 nanoparticles to enhance the fuel's efficiency.

Role of Lignin in Wheat Plant for the Enhancement of Resistance against Lodging and Biotic and Abiotic Stresses

Lignification is a vital function in plants for improving tolerance against stressors. This article presents studies conducted on the relationship of wheat straw lignin with enhanced plant adaptation against lodging and stressors. Herein, we provide a thorough discussion of the chemical structure and lignin composition of straw and its alteration and uses. Lignin plays a critical role in withstanding harsh environments (biotic and abiotic). Resistance to accommodation in wheat also plays a critical role. Lignin can also produce several products, e.g., costly petroleum-based materials and other vital products, such as resins and composites, and new materials, such as biofuels and chemicals. In this study, wheat straw lignification analysis highlighted that lignin formation regulates cellulose and hemicellulose biosynthesis. In addition, the analysis showed considerable encouragement of lignin growth inside wheat straw and the formation of lignin interfaces, as for cellulose and hemicellulose. Wheat straw lignin is an important source of many essential bioactive moieties, particularly lignocelluloses, straw-based biofuels, and various chemicals. We also explored the molecular tools that influence lignin formation in wheat and the significant strides taken in broadening our understanding of nanotechnology tools. This knowledge could assist in the development of advanced wheat cultivars, increase lignin content, and strengthen feedstock efficiency, reducing the impact of other lignin-associated agronomic gains.

Integrated multi-locus genome-wide association studies and transcriptome analysis for seed yield and yield-related traits in Brassica napus.

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), the third largest oil crop, is an important source of vegetable oil and biofuel for the world. Although the breeding and yield has been improved, rapeseed still has the lowest yield compared with other major crops. Thus, increasing rapeseed yield is essential for the high demand of vegetable oil and high-quality protein for live stocks. Silique number per plant (SN), seed per pod (SP), and 1000-seed weight (SW) are the three important factors for seed yield in rapeseed. Some yield-related traits, including plant height (PH), flowering time (FT), primary branch number (BN) and silique number per inflorescence (SI) also affect the yield per plant (YP). Using six multi-locus genome-wide association study (ML-GWAS) approaches, a total of 908 yield-related quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) were identified in a panel consisting of 403 rapeseed core accessions based on whole-genome sequencing. Integration of ML-GWAS with transcriptome analysis, 79 candidate genes, including BnaA09g39790D (RNA helicase), BnaA09g39950D (Lipase) and BnaC09g25980D (SWEET7), were further identified and twelve genes were validated by qRT-PCRs to affect the SW or SP in rapeseed. The distribution of superior alleles from nineteen stable QTNs in 20 elite rapeseed accessions suggested that the high-yielding accessions contained more superior alleles. These results would contribute to a further understanding of the genetic basis of yield-related traits and could be used for crop improvement in B. napus.

Growth performance and lipid profiles of some tropical microalgae: An assessment of their potential as biofuel source

Investigating the potential of using microalgae biomass as an environmentally acceptable biofuel feedstock in an effort to address the current dilemma of finding a sustainable alternative source of biofuel has been the main focus of many studies for the past few decades. In this context, five commercial species of tropical microalgae Tetraselmis tetrahele, Navicula ramosissima, Chaetoceros calcitrans, Thalassiosira sp., and Skeletonema tropicum were studied to evaluate their suitability as possible biofuel source. The parameters examined were ease of culture, growth performance, dry biomass yield, total lipid content, and fatty acids methyl esters (FAMEs) profiles. The diatom C. calcitrans grew the fastest among the five microalgae species, reaching a maximum cell density of 2,518,800 cells/mL, followed by the green microalgae T. tetrahele at cell density of 1,414,800 cells/mL. Biomass yields were highest in T. tetrahele (1.82 g/L) and N. ramosissima (1.28 g/L). Highest total lipid (38.32% DW) was obtained by N. ramosissima followed by T. tetrahele (23.15% DW). SFA is predominantly highest in S. tropicum, MUFA is highest in Thalassiosira sp. while PUFA is highest in N. ramosissima. Among the five microalgae evaluated, the green microalgae T.tetrahele and the diatom N. ramosissima where chosen as the best candidates for biofuel production because they produced the highest biomass yield (1.82 g/L DW and 1.28 g/L DW), lipid yield (23.15% DW and 38.32% DW), desired fatty acid profile, with adequate amounts of MUFA (46.15 %TFA and 45.08% TFA) that can potentially produce biodiesel that meets the established biodiesel standards.

Genetic markers and tree properties predicting wood biorefining potential in aspen (Populus tremula) bioenergy feedstock

BackgroundWood represents the majority of the biomass on land and constitutes a renewable source of biofuels and other bioproducts. However, wood is recalcitrant to bioconversion, raising a need for feedstock improvement in production of, for instance, biofuels. We investigated the properties of wood that affect bioconversion, as well as the underlying genetics, to help identify superior tree feedstocks for biorefining.ResultsWe recorded 65 wood-related and growth traits in a population of 113 natural aspen genotypes from Sweden (https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.gtht76hrd). These traits included three growth and field performance traits, 20 traits for wood chemical composition, 17 traits for wood anatomy and structure, and 25 wood saccharification traits as indicators of bioconversion potential. Glucose release after saccharification with acidic pretreatment correlated positively with tree stem height and diameter and the carbohydrate content of the wood, and negatively with the content of lignin and the hemicellulose sugar units. Most of these traits displayed extensive natural variation within the aspen population and high broad-sense heritability, supporting their potential in genetic improvement of feedstocks towards improved bioconversion. Finally, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) revealed 13 genetic loci for saccharification yield (on a whole-tree-biomass basis), with six of them intersecting with associations for either height or stem diameter of the trees.ConclusionsThe simple growth traits of stem height and diameter were identified as good predictors of wood saccharification yield in aspen trees. GWAS elucidated the underlying genetics, revealing putative genetic markers for bioconversion of bioenergy tree feedstocks.

Role of Indonesian Indigenous Cyanobacteria Culture Collection as An Ex-situ Conservation Effort and Microalgae Biodiversity Study Material

Exploratory research has been carried out on Indonesian indigenous Cyanobacteria in an effort to collect these isolates to be used as learning materials for microalgae biodiversity. Cyanobacteria are known as photosynthetic bacteria and prokaryotic microalgae. The members of the cyanobacteria found were isolated, cultured, identified, and collected. The location for sampling cyanobacteria is the UI Depok campus area which consists of water from small lakes (situ) and soil. The results showed that 22 strains of Cyanobacteria were isolated and cultured properly, and consisted of 12 genera/species, namely Merismopedia sp. (1 isolate), Synechococcus sp. (1 isolate), Limnothrix redekei (1 isolate), Oscillatoria sp.1 (1 isolate), Oscillatoria sp.2 (1 isolate), Pseudanabaena sp. (3 isolates), Nostoc sp. (4 isolates), Anabaena sp. (1 isolate), Scytonema sp. (1 isolate), Fischerella sp. (1 isolate), Stigonema sp. (1 isolate), and Hapalosiphon sp. (6 isolates). Twenty-two (22) strains were then collected and treated by subculture method. Of the 11 genera found, there are 3 genera that have been known as genera that have potential as sources of biobased materials, biofuels, biofertilizers, and others, namely Synechococcus, Nostoc, and Anabaena

Enhacment of biomass, carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins content using co-culture of Glagah consortium and Lipomyces starkeyi

Microorganisms have a high potential as biofuel sources. Co-culture of microalgae and yeasts can result in high lipid production as a modification treatment. The goal of this study was to see how the co-culture of the Glagah consortium (diversity of associated microalgae and bacteria from Glagah Lagoon, Yogyakarta) and Lipomyces starkeyi affected the production of biomass, lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. The culture was performed under airtight conditions on a shaker at 127 rpm, with a light intensity of 27.75 mol/m2/s and a temperature of 30°C. The culture was subjected to a dark: light (6:18) treatment. Biomass was measured by dry weight, lipids by the Bligh and Dyer method, proteins by the Bradford method and carbohydrates by the phenol-sulfuric acid method. On day 3, L. starkey culture produced the most biomass, yielding 2.21 g/L with a productivity of 0.49 g/L/day. On day 4, the highest lipids produced from co-culture treatment yielded 1.03 g/g with a productivity of 0.21 g/L/day. The highest protein yield was obtained from L. starkeyi culture treatment on day 4, yielding 0.60 g/g with a productivity of 0.12 g/L/day. On day 6, co-culture produced the total carbohydrates, yielding 4.78 g/g with a productivity of 0.68 g/L/day. The co-culture treatment produced the highest lipids and carbohydrates production (1.03 g/g and 4.78 g/g) and productivity (0.21 g/L/day and 0.68 g/L/day), while L. starkeyi culture produced the highest total biomass and protein production (2.21 g/L and 0.6 g/g) and productivity (0.49 g\L\day and 0.12 g/L/day). In microalgae culture, CO2 generally given directly through the aeration process. In this study, the source of CO2 was yeast, whereas yeast also obtained O2 from microalgae in the consortium for their metabolic process. This mutualism symbiosis will help in providing benefits in reducing the costs for the cultivation process, especially in optimizing the production of biomass an lipids.

Prediction of Microalgae Growth Kinetics In Semi-Continuous Culture From Batch Culture Experiments

Microalgae have recently attracted considerable interest worldwide, due to their extensive application potential in the renewable energy, biopharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries. Microalgae are renewable, sustainable, and economical sources of biofuels, bioactive medicinal products, and food ingredients. For microalgal production, the choice of the photobioreactor, the method of cultivation used, and the harvesting regime adopted (batch, semi-continuous and continuous cultures) are very important. In this work, we examined the growth rate and productivity of a small volume (2 L) experimental culture in batch and semi-continuous mode. Several microalgae species have been investigated for their potential as value-added products, thus we have chosen two species: green microalga (

Prediction of sorghum oil content using near‐infrared hyperspectral imaging

Background and Objectives Aside from being a staple crop, sorghum is now being used as a gluten-free food, an animal feed ingredient, and a biofuel source. This growing demand for sorghum has increased interest in grain quality and utilization. This study explored near-infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR HSI) as a non-destructive and rapid method to predict the oil content of sorghum grains. Findings Partial least square (PLS) regression models for oil from NIR HSI spectra achieved 0.19% standard error of calibration (SEC) and 0.21% standard error of prediction (SEP) at 10 PLS factors. The results from the NIR HSI instrument were comparable to those from the single-kernel near-infrared reflectance instrument (SKNIR) using the same set of samples. Conclusion This study showed the potential of hyperspectral imaging as a quality control method for sorghum grains, specifically for oil content, which could be beneficial for sorghum breeders, growers, and processors. Significance and Novelty The increasing interest in sorghum use prompted this study which is one of the first to explore NIR hyperspectral imaging for sorghum oil with the ability to indicate single seed weight. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

BIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES AND THEIR POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES OF SORGHUM [SORGHUM BICOLOR (L) MOENCH

Sorghum is one of the important dryland C4 crops mainly grown in sub-saharan Africa and Asia and serves as a source of food, feed, fodder and biofuel. It is the main source of dry season ration to the livestock and provides nutrition and security for livelihood of poor farmers in rural areas. Sorghum can withstand drought and comes up well in adverse climatic conditions and hence, it is considered as an important climate resilient crop. Sorghum possesses diverse phytochemicals especially in the bran layer which represents a promising opportunity to be exploited as a functional food and to reduce the risk of non – communicable chronic diseases. Owing to high phenolic content and gluten free nature of sorghum and low glycemic index the grains are increasingly utilized for human consumption realising concept of eat right food for good health. Red sorghum bran is known as a rich source of anthocyanins. The bran and flour extracts analysis using various colorimetric methods including HPLC (High Pressure Liquid Chromatography) found with presence of several phenolic compounds like anthocyanins particularly 3-deoxyanthocyanin that includes apignenidin and luteolinidin, condensed tannin, ferulic acidetc., which provide the therapeutic properties of antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The data collected from recent studies indicate that these molecules have a promising future as natural biofood agents for the treatment of various diseases, and this is particularly due to their strong antioxidant properties, in addition to modulating the intestinal microbiota. This review is made to understand the bioactive substances present in sorghum grains, their extraction and their potential therapeutic effects.

USING OF MILLET STRAW FOR ENERGY PURPOSES

The article considers the issue of using plant waste from agriculture for energy production in Ukraine. The following aspects are analyzed: the formation of straw and sifted grains of cereals, in particular, millet (P. miliaceum L.), available directions of their utilization, as well as the prerequisites for the possibility of application in energy purposes. A positive correlation was noted between the parameters of the structure of millet plants and investigated elements of cultivation technology. When applied to the studied species of millet, both the grain yield of plants and biomass, which after harvesting forms waste, increases as well, and it is expedient to use it as a source of biofuel. The use of agricultural techniques in research has had a positive effect on both the increase in biomass and grain productivity of energy millet. The highest yield was recorded in the variants when applying N60P60K60: in the variety Jubilee – 5.31 t/ha, Zolushka – 5,00 t/ha (50–55% to control), which provided the amount of waste mass – 5,0–5,3 t/ha, respectively, and increased potential resource of raw materials for the production of various types of biofuels for millet by 50%.

Формирование надземной фитомассы лиственных древесных пород на постагрогенных землях

The withdrawal of lands from active agricultural use and their overgrowth with woody vegetation have a steady trend in Russia, especially in the boreal zone. Studying the plantations developed on fallow lands of agricultural territories enables estimation of their resource potential for further use. The aboveground phytomass of vegetation is the most reliable indicator of habitat productivity. It is possible to determine the volume of carbon storage by assessing the phytomass of tree and shrub vegetation, which is relevant in the context of global climate change. The study object was a field out of active agricultural use in the Gatchina district of the Leningrad region. A trial area was laid out on the test site, where a complete enumeration of native hardwoods (birch, aspen, tree and shrub willows) with the determination of the basic inventory indicators was carried out. In order to find out the volume of phytomass, from 6 to 8 model trees of each species were cut down. Allometric equations for calculating the fractional composition of phytomass with a high determination coefficient were derived based on the data obtained on the values of individual fractions of the trunk ground part. The accuracy of the derived equations is reduced due to the high variability of crown characteristics in dense deciduous young growth. The highest phytomass is in the trunk part, and the lowest in the assimilation apparatus for all species of woody vegetation. Calculation of aboveground phytomass on the test site according to the obtained equations showed that the highest value per 1 ha at this successional stage is typical for downy birch. Currently, the participation of woody vegetation growing on post-agrogenic lands in carbon sequestration has no reliable full assessment for the study region. Wood that was grown on lands out of active agricultural use can serve as a biofuel source and be harvested in the form of technological chips.

Integration of third generation biofuels with bio-electrochemical systems: Current status and future perspective.

Biofuels hold particular promise as these can replace fossil fuels. Algae, in particular, are envisioned as a sustainable source of third-generation biofuels. Algae also produce several low volume high-value products, which enhance their prospects of use in a biorefinery. Bio-electrochemical systems such as microbial fuel cell (MFC) can be used for algae cultivation and bioelectricity production. MFCs find applications in wastewater treatment, CO2 sequestration, heavy metal removal and bio-remediation. Oxidation of electron donor by microbial catalysts in the anodic chamber gives electrons (reducing the anode), CO2, and electrical energy. The electron acceptor at the cathode can be oxygen/NO3 -/NO2 -/metal ions. However, the need for a continuous supply of terminal electron acceptor in the cathode can be eliminated by growing algae in the cathodic chamber, as they produce enough oxygen through photosynthesis. On the other hand, conventional algae cultivation systems require periodic oxygen quenching, which involves further energy consumption and adds cost to the process. Therefore, the integration of algae cultivation and MFC technology can eliminate the need of oxygen quenching and external aeration in the MFC system and thus make the overall process sustainable and a net energy producer. In addition to this, the CO2 gas produced in the anodic chamber can promote the algal growth in the cathodic chamber. Hence, the energy and cost invested for CO2 transportation in an open pond system can be saved. In this context, the present review outlines the bottlenecks of first- and second-generation biofuels along with the conventional algae cultivation systems such as open ponds and photobioreactors. Furthermore, it discusses about the process sustainability and efficiency of integrating algae cultivation with MFC technology in detail.