Azolla filiculoides as Feedstock for Biodiesel Production
June 1, 2016http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12155-015-9665-3
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The aquatic fern Azolla is one of the fastest-growing nitrogen-fixing plants on Earth and is considered as a potential source of biomass for biofuel production. Paul Brouwer from Utrecht University led researchers in analyzing the lipid fraction from Azolla filiculoides to determine if it is fit for biodiesel production.
The harvested biomass contained 7.92 ± 0.14% dry weight (dw) crude lipids. Drying conditions did not significantly affect lipid composition or yields, indicating that it can be optimized without the risk of product loss. Extracted from the biomass were free fatty acids, fatty acid methyl esters and unique mid-chain (di)hydroxy compounds. Based on the fatty acid profile, Azolla biodiesel meets requirements set by the EN14214 standard. However, further studies are still needed to optimize biofuel production from Azolla.
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