A specialized enzyme can efficiently transform woody biomatter into bioethanol, a sustainable fuel that can even be used as a substitute for gasoline or in food medicine, according to research from the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati.
Adopting clean methods using renewable fuel is imperative given the world's diminishing fossil fuel reserves and the impact of climate change. Not only is ethanol or ethyl alcohol utilized in alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, and pharmaceuticals, but it can also be used as fuel for automobiles.
The Ruminococcus flavefaciens-derived enzyme known as RfGH5_4 efficiently breaks down the cellulose and hemicellulose in woody biomatter and transforms it into bioethanol. The intestines of cows and other animals that chew cud contains this bacterium. By converting the molecules of biomasses including the cotton main stalk and tiny branches, sorghum stalk, sugarcane bagasse, finger millet stalk, and maize leaves into simple sugars, the RfGH5_4 enzyme's effectiveness was examined.
RfGH5_4 Solution To Renewable Energy Problem
While bioethanol fuel can be created using chemical processes, it is typically produced through the fermentation of sugar, which is typically derived from energy or fuel crops like corn, maize, wheat, and potato, among others. IIT-Guwahati and the University of Lisbon in Portugal worked together on the research, which was completed in October and had its findings published in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules.
The research, led by Professor Arun Goyal of the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, demonstrates that large amounts of organic carbon are stored in agricultural and plant biomass in the form of molecules like cellulose and hemicellulose.
RfGH5_4 An Environment-Friendly Substitute
The study is important because it has the potential to lessen India's current 85% reliance on crude oil imports. To significantly lessen reliance on other nations, gasoline can be combined with domestically produced ethanol. India plans to begin blending 20% ethanol into gas in some regions of the country by 2023, with a nationwide deployment following in 2025–2026. These findings take us one step closer to finding more environmentally friendly substitutes for using non-renewable energy sources. Not only will they turn waste leftover biomass into a useful resource to fuel cars, but they can also be used in food and medicine. It can also be used for various things, including the textile, pharmaceutical, culinary, and pulp industries.
According to a statement released by Professor Goyal on Tuesday, "Agricultural residual biomasses are discarded or burned, posing environmental risks such as climate change and global warming. Their breakdown by RfGH5_4 may increase its application in dietary medicine.”
The enzyme has multiple uses and has proven to be a powerful catalyst. This distinguishes it from other commercially accessible and natural enzyme groups. The enzyme was especially remarkable since it was stable between 5 and 45 degrees Celsius, making it useful in a variety of situations.
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