Studies into using manure in a biorefinery concept

• Published in: Applied biochemistry and biotechnology Vol. 121; no. 1-3; pp. 999 - 1016
• Main Authors: Chen, S, Wen, Z, Liao, W, Liu, C, Kincaid, R.L, Harrison, J.H, Elliott, D.C, Brown, M.D, Stevens, D.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Springer Nature B.V 2005
• Subjects: Agriculture - methods; animal manures; Animal wastes; Animals; Biomass; Biorefineries; Biotechnology; Carbohydrates - chemical synthesis; Carbon; Carbon sources; Cellulase; Cellulase - biosynthesis; Cellulose; Chemical Industry - methods; Conservation of Natural Resources - methods; Dry matter; Feasibility Studies; Hemicellulose; Hydrolysates; Hydrolysis; Industrial Waste - prevention & control; Manure - classification; Manure - microbiology; Manures; Organic carbon; Polyols; Poultry manure; Refineries; Refining; Refuse Disposal - methods; Research projects; Species Specificity; Studies; Sugar; Sulfuric Acids - chemistry; Trichoderma - enzymology; value-added products
• ISSN: 0273-2289; 1559-0291; 0273-2289
• DOI: 10.1385/ABAB:124:1-3:0999

Animal manure is an underutilized biomass resource containing a large amount of organic carbon that is often wasted with the existing manure disposal practices. A research project funded by the US Department of Energy explored the feasibility of using manure via the sugar platform in a biorefinery, converting the carbon from fiber to biochemicals. The results showed that (1) fiber was the major component of manure dry material making up approx 50%, 40%, and 36% of the dry dairy, swine, and poultry manure material, respectively; within dairy manure, more than 56% of the dry matter was in particles larger than 1.680 mm; (2) in addition to being a carbon source, manure could provide a variety of nutrient for fungi T. reesei and A. phoenicis to produce cellulase; (3) the hemicellulose component in the manure fiber could be readily converted to sugar through acid hydrolysis; while concentrated acid decrystallization treatment was most effective in manure cellulose hydrolysis; (4) purification and separation was necessary for further chemical conversion of the manure hydrolysate to polyols through hydrogenation; and (5) the manure utilization strategy studied in this work is currently not profitable.