Title: Detoxification of food-waste hydrolysate to enhance lipid production in M. pulcherrima - an alternative feedstock for biodiesel

Authors: Priyadharshni Vairava Sundaram; Jayanthi Singaram; Thirulogachandar Ashokan

Addresses: Department of Environmental Engineering, Government College of Technology, Coimbatore, India ' Department of Civil Engineering, Government College of Engineering, Theni, India ' Department of Environmental Engineering, Government College of Technology, Coimbatore, India

Abstract: One of the alternative ways to produce biodiesel in a sustainable manner, without contending with food crops, is to use microbes. Microbial oil is a potential feedstock for the biodiesel industry. In this study, oleaginous yeast (Metschnikowia pulcherrima) was used to produce lipid from the carbon source obtained from food waste hydrolysate. Lime and activated charcoal were used to detoxify the hydrolysate and among these detoxifiers, activated charcoal increased the C/N ratio to 76. Fermentation was done in 5 L bioreactor and biomass yield of 12.8 g/L was derived after 96 hours of cultivation. The lipid content was 21.1% and lipid yield was 2.7 g/L with COD removal of 52%. The obtained lipid was analysed using Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) and the result signifies that the lipid produced using the detoxified food waste hydrolysate could be used as an effective feedstock for biodiesel production.

Keywords: food waste hydrolysate; Metschnikowia pulcherrima; lipid; C/N ratio; detoxification; FTIR.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESD.2018.094026

International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development, 2018 Vol.17 No.2/3, pp.151 - 161

Received: 15 Mar 2017
Accepted: 15 Nov 2017
Published online: 13 Aug 2018 *

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