MIGUEL BOYAYANGlycerin, a byproduct of biodiesel, can be used for protein productionMIGUEL BOYAYAN
Brazil’s production of biodiesel reached 2.9 billion liters in 2013, with glycerin byproduct accounting for roughly 10% of this total. The amount of glycerin has climbed yearly and requires a series of solutions, one of which has been demonstrated by a group of researchers at the University of Brasília (UnB) and the Catholic University of Brazil (UCB). The scientists replaced the purified glycerin, employed until now, with crude glycerol – that is, glycerin that has not undergone any purification – to grow Pichia pastoris yeast, which serves to produce proteins used in industrial processes like the manufacture of hormones, cosmetics, and vaccines. “Pichia grows well in glycerin, ensuring lower costs in industrial applications,” says Prof. Nádia Parachin, of UnB, coordinator of the study, published in the January 2014 issue of Bioresource Technology.
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