In Texas, the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) said that a group of UTEP researchers have demonstrated how nanotechnology can significantly improve biofuel production from microalgae.
The study, recently published in ACS Applied Bio Materials, focuses on the microalga Chlorella vulgaris, a fast-growing species commonly found in freshwater environments that is used to produce biofuels. The team showed that controlled doses of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles can dramatically increase the organism’s lipid content, including the triacylglycerol used to produce biofuels.
Under normal growth conditions, the research team observed C. vulgaris cells contained about 14 percent lipids. But when exposed to moderate concentrations (30–50 mg/L) of synthesized ZnO nanoparticles, the cells increased their lipid content to as much as 48 percent of their mass – more than triple the baseline – without significant harm to the cells.
In addition to these findings, the researchers developed the Biofuel Suitability Score (BSS) – a new, scalable framework that evaluates and optimizes biofuel production conditions. Sharifan explained that the BSS integrates multiple factors, providing actionable insights to guide future strategies in sustainable energy production.
The study was conducted in collaboration with the Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua and supported by UTEP’s U.S.-Mexico Collaboration Fellowship and a grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
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