CH391L/S13/Algal Biofuels
Algal biofuels represent various methods to produce highly reduced hydrocarbons from carbon dioxide using solar energy as the power source and algae, typically microalgae, as the machinery. The primary driving point for photosynthesis powered biofuels is that they do not increase the net carbon content in the air; every molecule of CO2 released during combustion came from one molecule of CO2 fixed during photosynthesis. Since their energy source is sunlight, algal biofuels are considered renewable. Algae are top choices in biofuel engineering due to their far greater photosynthetic efficiency and low growth requirements. In addition, countries that lack reserves of fossil fuels may desire economic independence by reducing imports through domestic fuel product.
Advantages over other Biofuels
Microalgae tend to have better photosynthetic efficiency than terrestrial plants, including corn and soybeans, the other major sources for biofuels[1]. While sugarcane, a major source of bioethanol, has a photosynthetic efficiency greater than most microalgae, it's land usage is still far greater than that of algae[2]. Microalgae can produce up to 158 tonnes/hecatre of biomass, compared to 75 tonnes/hectare for sugarcane, and they can produce a much higher percentage of biomass as lipid content than sugarcane can as ethanol.
Cultivation
One of the most distinct advantages of microalgae over other photosynthetic organisms is their tolerance and/or preference for marginal water sources[3]. This means that algal biofuels won't have to compete for resrouces like fresh water and arable land with food crops, unlike biofuels derived from corn and soybeans[4]. Most commercially relevant algal species grow well on either seawater or wastewater, both of which are inexpensive alternatives to freshwater[5].
For economical reasons, the majority of algal aquacultures today are open-air[3]. While this normally vastly opens up the risk for contamination, several of the most important algae, such as Chlorella, Spirulina and Dunaliella have traits that allow them to outgrow competitors under certain optimal conditions. That said, the future of algal biofuel reactors is likely to take place under closed conditions. Maximized efficiency in biofuel production is highly dependent on non-contamination and the absence of certain heavy metal pollutants that would be present in open aquacultures.
Photosynthetic Efficiency
The fundamental source of energy in biofuels is sunlight. Converting the electromagnetic energy in photons to chemical energy in reduced carbons is the core of biofuel production. Logically, one key focus of biofuel production would be to maximize the amount of energy absorbed during this first step.
Photoinhibition, a result of the oxidative damage done to electron carriers in light reactions, is one of the first hurdles to jump[6]. Truncated chlorophyll antennae show reduced levels of photoinhibition, resulting in less down time and therefore greater photosynthetic efficiency during the light reactions. In large growth cultures, antenna truncation also reduces light scattering, allowing greater access to appropriately energetic photons to the cells further from the surface of the liquid.
Lipid Content
Maximizing the lipid content of algae allows for the greatest energy content per unit land, and increases the energy return on extraction processes [7]. In chlorella, lipid accumulation tends to be greatest during the stationary phase. Media rich in iron, nitrate and phosphate is optimal in chlorella for maximum lipid content, with the highest achieved lipid dry cell volume being 55%.
One obvious problem to maximizing lipid yield is the fact that cells often use lipids as an energy source through β-oxidation. Inhibition of β-oxidation through gene knockouts is quite useful for algae grown under constant light conditions, but does retard growth in algae grown under natural light[8]. In the absence of light, algae typically live off of triacyl glyecerol; if they are deprived of this food source, their growth rate is inhibited, and net lipid production over time may actually be lower than in algae that are wild type for lipid catabolism.
The lipids that cells produce normally have to be chemically treated to form ethyl esters that can be directly used as biofuel[8]. Overexpression of ethanol synthesis from Zymomonas mobilis and wax ester synthase genes from Acinetobacter baylyi in E. coli produced slightly better ethyl ester yields, although these yields are expected to be greater in microalgae.
iGEM Connection
The University of Washington's 2011 iGem Team attempted to use Fatty Acid intermediates into alkanes [9]. They used Acy-ACP Reductase (AAR) to convert long Acyl-ACPs into aldehydes, and then used Aldehyde Decarbonylase (ADC) to convert them into alkanes.
