energy journal

UI students researching the role of ITS and algae for alternative fuels and carbon dioxide absorber

Plants algae become the object of two groups of students who won the National Life Science Competition at the Bandung Institute of Technology campus. They examine the role of algae as a fuel of the future, as well as reducing pollution and the concentration of greenhouse gases.

"Their research is at hand to be applied," said Pingkan Adityawati, professor of School of Science Technology ITB DDN who became the jury. In a race that ended on Saturday last week, student teams Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS), Surabaya, became the first champion.

The team from Surabaya is lifting research on the use of algae Algae type spyrogyra for alternative fuels in the form of ethanol. With the addition of alpha amylase enzyme with a specific length of time of fermentation, they proved that the crop alleys can be a cheap fuel.

Both won the team champion University of Indonesia, which offers third-generation algae technology. They exploit the idea as a waste nutrient medium the growth of micro-algae Chlorella sp. While the team won third place University of Indonesia student researching other cloning-7 genes Early Human Papillomavirus Type 16.

Team of Sulfahri and Siti Muslihah from the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering ITS Surabaya not choose cassava, yams, and corn ethanol as an ingredient because it would disrupt the pattern of consumption. They explain, spirogyra Algae is a type of algae that can grow in freshwater and brackish, and have a high carbohydrate content. Breeding can be very fast.

in the news They made a comparison of some materials to produce as much as 1 liter of bioethanol. Apparently it takes 8 pounds sweet potatoes, or cassava 6.5 kilograms, or 5 kilograms of corn. "With algae, just 0.67 kilograms," said Sulfahri.

In order to obtain satisfactory results, they also calculate the best time with a long fermentation of algal enzymes. The highest levels of 9.32 percent bioethanol obtained on day 10 with the addition of as much as 0.06 grams of the enzyme amylase.

Meanwhile, a team of University of Indonesia, which became the second winner, look at the amount of industry know in Indonesia reached 84 thousand business units with a capacity of 25.6 million tons per year. The density of waste know as much as 1.3 kilograms per liter. Total volume of waste out in Indonesia over 5 million liters per day.

From research Tangguh Wijoseno, Rinus P's son Aditya, Muhammad Iqbal, Fciris Najmuddin Zahir, and haafiz Izzatullah, the culture of Chlorella vulgaris in wastes out potentially absorb carbon dioxide gas. Each year could reduce 1.7 billion pounds of CO2.

Previously, at this news the allowance for the first phase, the jury passed the seven finalists from the 20 participants. Life Science Competition National Competition held by the Student Association inaugural School of Science and Technology Institute of Technology Bandung is looking for original new research results by students in a creative, innovative, and results can be used community