Citrus is in gasoline! !

Citrus is in gasoline -. Techniques such as dream team of Mie University graduate student of Bioresource Sciences, Tamaru Hiroshi professor has developed. Oranges which has been discarded until now non-standard or thinning to be to decomposition and fermentation microorganisms, and transformed into "butanol" that can be used instead of gasoline. Biomass on heat Unlike ethanol to go mainstream in the fuel of (biological resources) is high, since no damage to the tank, as it can be used as gasoline equipment.
Process generation of fuel is this. The wound is commercial value has or rotten or fall with mandarin orange, and put into the skin every tank with microorganisms. After being glycated and the cells were disrupted, and is fermented by a different microorganism to become fuel containing 70% butanol.
From pomace 3 kg of oranges in the experiment, was able to 20 ml of butanol. And incubated at 37 degrees and can be in 10 days, but the generation period is longer and not warm.
Rice straw and sweet potatoes in addition to oranges, (except wood) organic matter, such as waste paper prospect that can also fuels. Products generated by the fuel of not alone pollute environment water. We aim to put to practical use as a biomass energy that does not increase carbon dioxide leading to global warming. Tamaru Professor inflate and expectations "agriculture is about rich location, resources that becomes the fuel is in abundance. Happy if help local revitalization". What can fuel from oranges that would be discarded than, I byproduct is also good is that only water. Please complete the further research towards the production, etc. of the plant.


かんきつがガソリンに――。夢のような技術を三重大学大学院生物資源学研究科・田丸浩教授の研究チームが開発した。規格外や摘果でこれまで廃棄していたミカンを微生物で分解・発酵させることで、ガソリンの代わりに使える「ブタノール」に変身。バイオマス（生物由来資源）の燃料化で主流をいくエタノールとは違って熱量が高い上、タンクを傷めないため、ガソリン用設備にそのまま使えるという。
　燃料の生成過程はこうだ。傷が付いて商品価値が落ちたり腐ったりしたミカンを、微生物と一緒に皮ごとタンクへ投入。細胞を破壊して糖化させた後、別の微生物で発酵させるとブタノール7割を含む燃料になる。
　実験ではミカンの搾りかす3キロから、20ミリリットルのブタノールができた。37度で保温すると10日間でできるが、保温しないと生成期間が長くなる。
ミカン以外に稲わらやサツマイモ、古紙などの有機物（木材を除く）も燃料化できる見通し。燃料化によって生じる副産物は水だけで環境も汚さない。温暖化につながる二酸化炭素も増やさないバイオマスエネルギーとして実用化を目指す。田丸教授は「農業が豊かな場所ほど、燃料となる資源が豊富にある。地域活性化に役立てばうれしい」と期待を膨らませる。何よりも廃棄してしまうミカンから燃料ができ、副産物も水だけというのがいいですね。プラントの製作等に向けて更なる研究を進めてください。