Biofuels Lab Introduction

Biofuels are groups of fuels that are produced from a source in nature that was recently living, versus fossil fuels which are made from sources that have been dead a long time. Biofuels are being increasingly used as alternative energy sources. There are four ways to produce biofuels, through cellosic ethanol,where a breakdown of cellulose to glucose followed by a fermentation step to ethanol. The biofuel industry uses cellulases in this method. Cellulases is an enzyme that converts the cellulose in plant cells to glucose and other sugars. An enzyme is a catalyst that speeds up the process of a chemical reaction. The enzyme is very helpful because it reduces the energy needed to make the reaction occur, therefore the chemical reaction can occur much faster. The next method is the breaking down of starches and sugars followed by a fermentation step to ethanol.  The third, involving biodiesels (fuels derived from oils) are found in recycled cooking oils or in plants that produce high levels of oils that are purified and burned in diesel engines. Scientists are always trying to find new ways to create biodiesels through modifying algae, yeast, and bacteria. the last method of creating biofuels are syngas. Syngas stand for synthetic gas, it is a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases which becomes a burning biomass. Syngas can can be burned directly or chemically converted to be used as diesel. Biofuels are important to us because they are the answer to our problems as far as global warming. If we can find natural ways to make energy we can save our environment. Although scientists are working hard, we still have a long way to go, and if we do find an alternative there are still bound to be consequences.   

In our lab we will be exploring how biofuels work, and we will work towards understanding how biofuels could change the world we live in to be more efficient. We will have multiple test tubes that will contain a strong base and then we will be adding different amounts of cellobiase (an enzyme) and P-nitrate phenol at different time increments to see if fuel is created! On Day Two we will bring in mushrooms to grind up and add to our mixtures to see a new reaction.