Rice husk is rich in lignin and can be applied to crops as fertilizer. .

Thanks for your immediate response. I am interested in the use of Vermicomposting techniques to convert the rice hulls to fertilizers. An impediment is how to get these worms (red wrigglers and white worms) that are capable of converting the hulls because they are not available in my area. However, i would have loved a situation whereby i have a link with any school that can provide me with the necessary skills and techniques for optimization of the process. This is more important as my people are agrarian by nature.

That is quite interesting.. May i know where you belong and then i will provide information accordingly

I am a Biochemist and intersted in the clean-up of our environment. I am interested in developing a bioprocess for the conversion of this waste product to useful materials (goods and services).

In our area (Kashmir) rice husk is used as a feed for cattle.

Lignin rarely degrades under natural conditions and keeps accumulating. This hampers the carbon cycle. This is one of the major drawbacks of husks. Paper industries, sugar industries release a lot of lignin in their waste. P.chrysosporium is a fungus that converts degrades lignin to degradable carbon derivatives. Husk can be first treated with the fungus under lab conditions and then proceed with the ethanol production.

I need collaboration and training on the industrial conversion of these every increasing waste product of rice milling. I hope to arouse the interest and support from my university should such an opportunity be available. I can be reached on +234(0)803-745-7640.

Rice husk is one of the raw material for bioethanol production.As,rice is major staple food,the byproduct I.e, husk which is rich in cellulose can be converted into bioethanol production,just like bagas of sugar cane. I worked on such project,using cellulase enzyme.currently we need efficient technology for bioethanol production .alternatively rice husk can also be used in pellet technology,for for biopower.

Gasify/Combust rice husk into mixture of CO, CO2 and H2 ( Rest N2 and other gases). steam reform CO2 into CO and then vi catalytic reaction convert CO into ethanol. U can go through various tachniques to produce ethanol. Research says it is better go via fermentation other catalytic reforming to ethanol due to economic reasons.

Hi Ikechuku u r most welcome. I am already gassifying Husk to use as heat source and using CO2 to produce Ammonium bi carbonate. But residual flue gases have 4-5% CO2. Can we steam reform this CO2 to CO and then convert it to ethanol using iron catalyst. I need verified data with ethnol produced with 100 M3 to gas mixture mentioned above using Ni or iron catalyst.

Thanks for your recent contribution and am glad with the new dimension. I would like us to have a more elborate chat on the way around this problem and the progress regarding your approach. you can link me up on: [email protected]. Thanks.

Hi Ikechuku thanks for your offer. We can chat on skype with ID Dy.cste2.

Recent upgradation in yesterday idea is convert CO/CO2 in methanol then convert it to ethanol. The real issue is generating cheaper Hydrogen from biomass which have very less hydrocarbon content in it. If one can advise hydrogen production from water or biomass via bilogical means then chemical route will highly cost effective.

Mr Tanveer Bilal

Yes Rice husk can be converted to Sugar/Ethanaol throgh celulose enzyme or through acid treatment but as for my knowlege is concerned the efficiency of celulose conversion is less than 30% resulting 15-16% by mass production of ethanol from rice husk of around 0.90-0.95 Specific gravity ( pure - 0.79). So still technologies are not economically viable.

As biochemist can u suggest cheapest way to produce amylase/celulase enzymes from fungi or curd yeast etc. i am asking because enzymes cost aroound 15-20% of production cost. i will be happy with other eficient cum cheaper ednzymes also.

Mr banergee

what is efficiency of lignin to glucose conversion and which method. Ethanol production is not viable unless min 50% lignin/cellulose is converted to Glucose/Sugar. Corn and sugercane are commercialy viable since their conversion is higher than 50%. If we devise more than 50% lignin/cellulose/starch conversion of any biomass ( Rice Husk, potato, palm etc) we can generate so much bioethanol to cover all indian domestic bioethanol needs.