BioDiesel for all

Since fuel has become a part of everybody's lives, there is no way we can do without. Biodiesel is now the in thing when it comes to biofuel or alternative sources of energy. But then, the biodiesel production waste created in the manufacturing of biodiesel is becoming an issue for environment-concerned groups. This biodiesel waste contains mainly glycerol and methanol which are made up of carbons.

Just recently, it was explained that certain bioreactors which are needed for mine water treatment for the sulfate-reducing bacteria they contain. These sulfate-reducing bacteria feed on certain carbons, particularly glycerol. Thus, a theory sprung that it may be possible to utilize the biodiesel glycerol byproduct to feed the sulfate-reducing bacteria in order to reduce the sulfate found in mining waste. If this is possible, not only is the liquid from mining drainages treated but biodiesel waste will also be consumed. Both of these wastes will therefore be reduced and consequently, the environment will have less pollution.

So, a project was carried out to prove the theory. A number of laboratory columns containing sulfate were fed with reagent-grade glycerol while the rest of the laboratory columns were fed with the glycerol from biodiesel waste. The goal was to reduce fifty percent of the sulfate in the columns. The project proved a success since the glycerol from biodiesel waste reduced fifty five percent of the sulfate while the reagent-grade glycerol reduced fifty percent. This proved that the glycerol from biodiesel production waste was more effective. Aside from this, the biodiesel glycerol byproduct is cost-efficient since it is technically waste material and hardly costs anything at all. Other tests show that biodiesel waste is also capable of reducing concentrations of acetic, formic, lactic, and propionic acids and the organic carbon found in the biodiesel waste was even converted to carbon dioxide.

Biodiesel production waste may be rubbish but it serves as a wonderful component of decreasing one of the largest sources of pollution.