Research Projects

The second generation (2G) technology for ethanol production is underdeveloped due to high costs and complicated steps, such as pretreatment of feedstock and saccharification. The lack of efficient hydrolytic enzyme cocktail and competent enzyme system in yeast strains for metabolizing xylose/pentose sugars is a major barrier to its implementation worldwide, including India. The proposed solution is to co-utilize lignin-less floral wastes and algal biomass wastes in a simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) manner in a single pot for bioethanol production. Indigenously produced saccharifying enzymes and thermotolerant yeast will be deployed for SSCF. Exploration and supplementation of xylose isomerase enzymes for efficient xylose consumption by yeast to develop a simultaneous isomerization, saccharification and co-fermentation (SISCF) strategy may be the key solution to these barriers. The objectives of this study include characterizing floral waste and aquatic weed, developing a process for efficient hydrolysis of floral and aquatic weed to release fermentable sugars for bioethanol production using thermotolerant yeast strain, and developing a single-pot synthesis process for enhanced bioethanol production by simultaneous isomerization saccharification and co-fermentation (SISCF) of floral waste and aquatic weed. Techno-economic and life cycle assessments will be performed to assess the proposed biochemical conversion of biomass, which could lead to cleaner sugar production and sustainable management of largely produced aquatic weeds and floral wastes.