EMERGENT LIFE SCIENCES RESEARCH - Vol 3, Issue 2, Published on 31, December 2017

Pages: 42-49
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Evaluation of bioethanol production from rice field weed biomass

Author: Phuong Thi Vu, Yuwalee Unpaprom, Rameshprabu Ramaraj

Category: Research Article

Abstract:

Bioethanol has attracted more attention as a clean-burning fuel that can benefit both environment and energy sector. Gooseweed and small-flowered nutsedge are abundant in rice fields in form of weeds and considered as a major agricultural problem. Thus, this paper aims to evaluate the possibility of ethanol production from these two weeds by calculating the theoretical ethanol yield from its reducing sugars and cellulose content. Experiment was conducted in rice fields in Chiang Mai province, Thailand and 207 kg/ha and 201 kg/ha biomass yield was obtained from gooseweed and small-flowered nutsedge plants. The theoretical ethanol yield of gooseweed and small-flowered nutsedge were 160 L/Mg and 223 L/Mg, respectively that suggest utilizing these materials as promising feedstocks for bioethanol production.

Keywords: gooseweed, small-flowered nutsedge, theoretical ethanol yield

DOI URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.7324/ELSR.2017.324249