Characterization of biodegradation of straw‐based biomass‐oil in aqueous culture conditions

Abstract

Purpose

When carrying out bioremediation of water polluted by biomass‐oil, the stains which can degrade the biomass‐oil efficiently should first be found. The purpose of this paper is to describe how adopted acclimation through the isolated strains degraded efficiently, and got reaction kinetics property.

Design/methodology/approach

During the acclimation, the biodegradation process of biomass‐oil is accorded approximately with the first‐order reaction by the way of Sturm method which is described by measuring CO₂ volume from the microbes' production.

Findings

One kind of microbe, Aspergillus versicolor, separated from the activated sludge in the aeration tanks of paper‐mill, is found to have the advantage of biodegradation in case of biomass‐oil from rice straw by rapid thermal‐liquidizing process. The biodegradation ability could be improved in aqueous culture under neutral and acidic conditions. The optimal temperature for biodegradation of biomass‐oil is 40°C. The optimal inocula content for biodegradation of biomass‐oil was 16 vol%.

Research limitations/implications

The variation of lubricity of biomass‐oil with biodegradation needs more attention.

Practical implications

A basic research on the growth of a strain is shown, which is helpful for the biological treatment of biomass‐oil pollution.

Originality/value

One kind of fungi, Aspergillus versicolor, can be used for the biodegradation of biomass‐oil. The effects of various conditions or parameters on biodegradation of biomass‐oil are discovered in aqueous culture conditions in the case of Aspergillus versicolor.

Citation

Fu, Y., Hu, X., Xu, Y., Zhu, X. and Jiang, S. (2009), "Characterization of biodegradation of straw‐based biomass‐oil in aqueous culture conditions", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 61 No. 5, pp. 277-280. https://doi.org/10.1108/00368790910976113