We all know that 1st generation bioethanol production involves the use of edible crops (sugary or starchy crops like sugarcane or corn) as a substrate for bioethanol production while the use of cellulosic materials like wheat straw for the production of bioethanol is called 2nd generation bioethanol production.
What about using molasses as a substrate, do you consider it 1st or 2nd generation?
Molasses will be 2nd generation. Because molasses are byproducts.
Molasses though a byproduct, belongs to the first generation green fuel raw material. It provided the ready raw material compliment to the edible sugar and starch when the competing end use of the edible products limited their holistic application as raw material input. A by product is not necessarily a waste product. Molasses has never been a waste product like most of the second generation raw materials for green fuel production. Also for the fact that most first generation raw materials go through simple single or two step breakdown process and molasses does go through the same, makes it a part of the first generation raw material candidate. Its popularity value not being as much as the other first generation candidates stems from the fact that unlike the other ones, it is not directly consumed.
Thanks to Suresh K Malhotra and Obinna Ofoegbu for getting involved in this debate. I would like to read more views from other RG member so we can figure out the best answer.
Thanks again
Thank you Obinna for good remarks. In fact if we will make a flow chart for the process of bioethanol production from maize or sugar directly. Here in case of molasses there will be additional process. It is a matter of interpretation, if you use molasses as primary source, you may say it first generation also.
Yes Suresh you are correct, as a primary source and the fact that the fermentative or enzymatic break down of both sugar and maize goes through a one step sequence while that of molasses has a short additional step but also goes as a one-pot breakdown and extractive activity like that of sugar and or maize.
I read the question Zaky put on debating. I think the production of ethanol using molasses belongs to first generation. In Brazil, this way of production already occurs (the molasses are dilluted because of the high content of sugar and color compounds, that can cause damages to fermentation processes), even before the discussion and experience of industrial second generation of ethanol production. Here, there is some consensus on the concept of second generation (2G). To be considered 2G it's necessary to work with celulosic and/or hemicelulosic raw materials. In this case our great opportunities are: straw of sugarcane and sorghum, but also the residues of forestry industries.
I hope it can be useful for you.
Yours faithfully,
Anna Flavia de SOUZA SILVA
Thank you for further details, which make it more clear that ethanol from molasses is first generation.
Dear colleague,
The organization of production and research correlation garlic germination of garlic are two separate issues:
1. If your goal is the cultivation of garlic, then the pH of the soil should be 6 to 7, described by many authors.
2. But if you want to explore the correlation of germination garlic depending on the pH value, then you should explore with treatments and various pH levels.
With this form, you can calculate the correlation of the effect of pH on germination of garlic.
Hey Abdul!
just seeing this, sorry.
This is a grey area to be honest: It can be considered 1st gen because molasses does have food uses for humans , but also an be called 2nd gen as it is an industrial by-product.
Conclusively though i would say it is better classed as first gen because it is not considered lignocellulosic biomass or biomass, per se.
Good luck dear friend!
Thanks dear Amina. I totally agree with you. I would say it is a 1st gen. however, it does not have similar drawbacks like normal 1st gen substrates. Therefore, it has to be a new identification for 1st gen substrates to distinguish between the two categories of 1st gen. substrates otherwise, we will always have this gray area.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Agricultural Science
- Agronomy
- Crop Science
- Crop