IIT-Guwahati
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati have achieved great results. He developed an advanced biological method using methanotrophic bacteria to convert methane and carbon dioxide into clean biofuels. This is special. Officials provided this information on Monday, December 9. He said the approach represented important progress in sustainable energy solutions and preventing the adverse effects of climate change.
The research, published in Elsevier’s flagship journal Fuels, provides solutions to two important global challenges – the harmful impact of greenhouse gases on the environment and the depletion of fossil fuel reserves. Professor Debashish Das from the Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering at IIT Guwahati said that the greenhouse gas methane is 27 to 30 times more powerful than carbon dioxide and is an important factor in global warming. Converting methane and carbon dioxide into liquid fuels could reduce emissions and provide renewable energy, but current chemical methods are energy-intensive, expensive and produce toxic by-products, limiting their scalability, he said.
“The process eliminates the need for expensive catalysts”
Debashish Das said his team developed a completely biological process that uses a methanotrophic bacterium to convert methane and carbon dioxide into biomannitol under mild operating conditions. Unlike traditional chemical methods, the process does not require expensive catalysts and avoids toxic by-products, he said. It operates in a more energy efficient manner.
read this too
Significant achievements for researchers
Researchers claim this method can reduce emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, hydrogen sulfide and smoke by up to 87%. Professor Debashish Das said the research was a major breakthrough as it showed that biomannitol obtained from bacteria growing on methane and carbon dioxide could become a viable alternative to fossil fuels. They say it is an environmentally and economically viable solution that uses cheap resources while helping to reduce emissions.
The professor said the development, which has the potential to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, is an important step towards a clean and green future. This process offers huge potential to decarbonize key industries such as oil and gas, refineries and chemical manufacturing, paving the way for a more sustainable future.
