Biotechnological Valorization of Waste Glycerol into Gaseous Biofuels—A Review

Joanna Kazimierowicz, Marcin Dębowski (), Marcin Zieliński, Sławomir Kasiński and Jordi Cruz Sanchez
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Joanna Kazimierowicz: Department of Water Supply and Sewage Systems, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Bialystok University of Technology, 15-351 Bialystok, Poland
Marcin Dębowski: Department of Environment Engineering, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Str. Oczapowskiego 5, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Marcin Zieliński: Department of Environment Engineering, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Str. Oczapowskiego 5, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Sławomir Kasiński: Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Str. Oczapowskiego 5, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Jordi Cruz Sanchez: Department of Basic Formation, Escola Universitària Salesiana de Sarrià, Passeig Sant Joan Bosco, 74, 08017 Barcelona, Spain

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 2, 1-33

Abstract: The supply of waste glycerol is rising steadily, partially due to the increased global production of biodiesel. Global biodiesel production totals about 47.1 billion liters and is a process that involves the co-production of waste glycerol, which accounts for over 12% of total esters produced. Waste glycerol is also generated during bioethanol production and is estimated to account for 10% of the total sugar consumed on average. Therefore, there is a real need to seek new technologies for reusing and neutralizing glycerol waste, as well as refining the existing ones. Biotechnological means of valorizing waste glycerol include converting it into gas biofuels via anaerobic fermentation processes. Glycerol-to-bioenergy conversion can be improved through the implementation of new technologies, the use of carefully selected or genetically modified microbial strains, the improvement of their metabolic efficiency, and the synthesis of new enzymes. The present study aimed to describe the mechanisms of microbial and anaerobic glycerol-to-biogas valorization processes (including methane, hydrogen, and biohythane) and assess their efficiency, as well as examine the progress of research and implementation work on the subject and present future avenues of research.

Keywords: biodiesel; bioethanol; waste glycerol; biotechnological valorization; microbiological conversion; anaerobic digestion; fermentative hydrogen production; biohythane; gaseous biofuels (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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