The article entitled: “Review of technical glycerol potential from biodiesel production and availability for improved cascading in Europe” has been published and is available online.

Authors: André Brosowski (DBFZ), Stephanie Hauschild (DBFZ), Karin Naumann (DBFZ), Jens Hösel (DBFZ), Daniela Thrän (Helmholtz Centre for environmental research),

Type of publication: Article – Research Paper
Date: April 2017
Publication: Research Gate
Main GRAIL partner: DBFZ

Abstract: The utilisation of by‐products is an important step towards circular biobased economy. This article focuses on reviewing European glycerol potentials accruing as a by‐product from biodiesel production. Glycerol is currently used as feedstock in the sectors of food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. In order to make a first statement towards an improved and sustainable cascading the glycerol potentials were analysed in the context of projected feedstock demand for nine future plant concepts. The reviewed database covers a total of 203 operational biodiesel plants in 37 European countries. In 2013, European biodiesel production involved a technical glycerol potential of 828 kt a‐1. Considering different scales of technologies the availability of glycerol is a crucial criterion especially for green chemicals and advanced biofuels. Promising plant locations for that production have been identified in a belt from northern France to north‐eastern Germany. However, the feasibility of future plant concepts does not only depend on feedstock availability but also on political framework and techno‐economic performance of the future production technologies. To develop future plant concepts stepwise a long term stable biodiesel production is the key to realise improved cascading of the limited biomass resources.
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The research paper is available in pdf here.

The article entitled: “Grail Eu Project: Glycerol Biorefinery Approach for the Production of High Quality Products of Industrial Value” has been published and is available online on Bulletin UASVM Food Science and Technology 73(1) / 2016; ISSN-L 2344-2344; Print ISSN 2344-2344; Electronic ISSN 2344-5300, DOI: 10.15835/buasvmcn-fst:11904.

Authors: Monica Trif, Berta Álvarez Penedo, Alexandru Rusu
Type of publication: Article
Date: May 2016
Journal: Bulletin UASVM Food Science and Technology 73(1) / 2016; ISSN-L 2344-2344; Print ISSN 2344-2344; Electronic ISSN 2344-5300, DOI: 10.15835/buasvmcn-fst:11904.
Main partners: CENTIV, BIOZOON

Abstract: The main purpose of the GRAIL EU Project is to find out a viable process, and related technology, aimed at exploiting the “crude glycerol” (at the present by-product from biodiesel production, having no more economic interest ), as a novel valuable feedstock for bio-fuels / bio-chemicals, such as 1,3 propanediol, Fatty acid glycerol formal esters, PolyHydroxyAlkanoates (PHA), Hydrogen and Ethanol, Synthetic coatings, powder coating resins, Secondary Glycerol Amine, Biobutanol, EPA, Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12), ß-carotene, Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

The PDF can be downloaded from the following website: http://journals.usamvcluj.ro/index.php/fst/article/view/11904

 

Authors: Yue-Ming Wang,a,b Fabio Lorenzini,a Martin Rebros,c Graham C. Saunders,d
and Andrew C. Marr.a,b

a School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen’s University of Belfast, UK.
b Queen’s University Ionic Liquids Laboratories (QUILL), UK.
c Institute of Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology,
Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia.
d School of Science, The University of Waikato, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.

Type of publication: Article
Date: November 2015
Journal: Green Chemistry, 2015, DOI: 10.1039/C5GC02157J
Main partner: QUB and STUBA

Abstract: Combining whole cell biocatalysis and chemocatalysis in a single reaction sequence
avoids unnecessary separations, and the associated waste and energy consumption. Bacterial
fermentation has been employed to convert waste glycerol from biodiesel production into
1,3-propanediol. This 1,3-propanediol can be extracted selectively from the aqueous
fermentation broth using ionic liquids. 1,3-propanediol in ionic liquid solution was converted
to propionaldehyde by hydrogen transfer initiated dehydration (HTID) catalysed by a
Cp*IrCl2(NHC) (Cp* = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl; NHC = carbene ligand) complex. The
use of an ionic liquid solvent enabled the reaction to be performed under reduced pressure,
facilitating the isolation of the product, and improving the reaction selectivity. The Ir(III)
catalyst in ionic liquid was found to be highly recyclable.

The paper is available in the Royal Society of Chemistry website here.

Authors: C. Varrone, T. M. B. Heggeset, S. B. Le, T. Haugen, S. Markussen,
I. V. Skiadas, and H. N. Gavala
Type of publication: Article
Date: July 2015
Journal: BioMed Research International
Main partner: Aalborg University and SINTEF

Abstract: Objective of this study was the selection and adaptation of mixed microbial cultures (MMCs), able to ferment crude glycerol generated from animal fat-based biodiesel and produce building-blocks and green chemicals. Various adaptation strategies have been investigated for the enrichment of suitable and stable MMC, trying to overcome inhibition problems and enhance substrate degradation efficiency, as well as generation of soluble fermentation products. Repeated transfers in small batches and fed-batch conditions have been applied, comparing the use of different inoculum, growth media, and Kinetic Control. The adaptation of activated sludge inoculum was performed successfully and continued unhindered for several months. The best results showed a substrate degradation efficiency of almost 100% (about 10 g/L glycerol in 21 h) and different dominant metabolic products were obtained, depending on the selection strategy (mainly 1,3-propanediol, ethanol, or butyrate). On the other hand, anaerobic sludge exhibited inactivation after a few transfers. To circumvent this problem, fed-batch mode was used as an alternative adaptation strategy, which led to effective substrate degradation and high 1,3-propanediol and butyrate production. Changes in microbial composition were monitored by means of Next Generation Sequencing, revealing a dominance of glycerol consuming species, such as Clostridium, Klebsiella, and Escherichia.

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Authors: PI
Type of publication: Article
Date: July 2014
Journal: Impiantistica Italiana
Main partner: PI
Abstract: N/A

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