Biofuel Extraction Techniques

16Microorganisms as Effective CO₂ Assimilator for Biofuel Production

Chandreyee Saha^* and Subhalaxmi Pradhan

Division of Chemistry, School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Galgotias University, Greater Noida, UP, India

Abstract

For a long time, several physical, chemical, and biological processes have been known for carbon dioxide capturing from the atmosphere. Of all the biological methods adopted for CO₂ sequestration, the use of microorganisms for the same has gained prominence in recent times. Photosynthesis is the most common process for capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide by terrestrial plants but because of their slower growth rate, absorption is not significant. Alternatively, rapidly multiplying microorganisms which can thrive in diverse habitat exhibit photosynthetic activities similar to terrestrial plants and can assimilate larger volumes of atmospheric carbon dioxide. This absorbed carbon dioxide can be successfully utilized for biofuel production. Since fossil fuels majorly contribute to the greenhouse effect by emitting CO₂, in recent times biofuel has been considered a suitable alternative energy source. Microorganisms effectively capture CO₂ from the atmosphere and convert it into sugars which in turn produce lipids. These macromolecules are then used for biofuel synthesis. Also, biofuel synthesized from microbes leads to a cleaner, greener, and cheaper system and reduces the greenhouse effect significantly. This book chapter highlights the use of different ...