Bioconversion of Crude Glycerol from Biodiesel Process into Ethanol By Escherichia coli Amplified Using the PCR Techniques

There is large amount of unused glycerin in the biodiesel market. Biodiesel production outputs 10% w/w crude glycerol for 100% biodiesel produced. Our NSF sponsored Innovation Corps (I-Corps®) market discovery found the biodiesel industry pain points is no use for the glycerin. In order to have sustainable biodiesel plants on-site glycerin to ethanol process is needed. Having glycerin to ethanol intensifies the biodiesel process. The ethanol produced from glycerol can be used in the same plant. This will reduce logistics, and this could be used instead of methanol.

There are different ways to make ethanol but no literature that uses PCR technique to amplify the bacteria is reported. Using the polymeric chain reaction (PCR) methods the E.Coli is amplified. E.Coli strain is genetically modified so the strain that can metabolize ethanol is selected. PCR technique is easier than the conventional techniques. The resulting glycerol to ethanol rate can have an important effect on how next generation biodiesel plants will operate. Glycerol to ethanol via metabolic pathway engineering of E. Coli.

Keywords: Escherichia coli, biofuels, Glycerol