Efficacy Of Agricultural Wastes In The Production Of Biofuel

Abstract

Bioethanol is a form of biofuel that is a type of renewable energy source, which could be prepared from biomass. It could be produced from common feedstock like corn, sugar cane, manioc, and potato. All of these are edible resources and could be used for human consumption. The dispensation of vegetables and fruits leads to large amounts of organic deposits. These wastes and deposits are mostly used as compost or cattle feed. Biofuel in form of bioethanol from agro wastes could be a potent technology. Proper pretreatment methods could enhance the concentrations of fermentable sugars after saccharification using enzymes, thus improving the efficacy of the whole process. For the present work, the production of bioethanol from agricultural wastes viz. sugarcane bagasse, corn cob, and potato peels using Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been done. Results showed a maximum yield of bioethanol from corncob at 48 hrs. period, while the least production was from potato peels at 96 hrs period.