4 Jul 2009

IISc to extract oil from Diatoms, algae

Driving will soon be a pollution-friendly activity if a small team of scientists from India and Canada have their way. Scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have collaborated with their counterparts in Canada to ensure that global warming becomes a thing of the past.

According to the scientists, the answer to a clean and sustainable energy production lies in the microscopic algae — diatoms.

Some geologists believe that a majority of the world’s crude oil originated from diatoms. “Diatoms are the lowest in the order of the food chain, but are known to have oil glands that can yield an effective amount of oil. They also act as carbon sequesters trapping in carbon and releasing oxygen. We hope that this could work as a replacement for conventional energy or gasoline paving the way for a clean fuel that can effectively work as a solution to tackle global warming,” said Dr T.V. Ramachandra at IISc.

The research, that will soon be published in an international journal, indicates that a solution to the impending crude oil scarcity exists. It offers solutions for a cost-effective renewable source of alternative energy and also helps stop the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to an extent. Diatoms can trap and store carbon, sending out emissions free of any pollutants.

The team that comprises IISc professors Durga Madhab Mahapatra, Karthick B. and Dr Ramachandra and Richard Gordon from the University of Manitoba in Canada have also proposed a new approach to sustainable energy that uses solar panels by incorporating altered diatoms that secrete oil products.

Source

15 comments:

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Unknown said...

This article is of immense interest for those who think not only for a pollution free environment but also beleve in sustainable development.If the scientists succed and able to start the production of oil commercially, an unimaginable revolution can take place in the field of energy resources.Let us welcome these types of researches which are really useful for the mankind and nature.

Anonymous said...

this article is presenting immense value to the society in creating pollution eree environment and in the need of more energy resources. i hope these type of reasches are needed to the society.

srinivas said...

this article is presenting immense value to the society in creating pollution eree environment and in the need of more energy resources. i hope these type of reasches are needed to the society.

karthik said...

Great,this is the research what we peoples need now to save our ecosystem.Congrates

Unknown said...

ITS REALLY GRAT DISCOVERY

Abdil said...

Its a great discovery, i personely congras. to the IIsc Scientist.. The discovery should be transfer to the industries, which can be lucrative and help to the nature.

Unknown said...

its a great research on succeeding should be patented so that indian government can get a good revenue and can be relieved from energy demands

rituparna said...

thats great..... But other blue -green algae also have high or less same properties. Mainly B. bruni also contain high oil yielding capacity with CO2 trapping. Hope algae will became our recent weapon to turn the present situation .

rituparna said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mousumi said...

This research would be of immense importance for the future generation when there would be shortage of conventional energy sources and also it would help to mainatin a pollution free green world.

Anonymous said...

it is just great news, this news can insure our safe future, but we should not exploit it such that it will arise again new quetions for us

Anonymous said...

This is a great idea and gives a new hope to mankind but in india most researches doest not give the result, the money get used up and net result is nill. Let's hope this doesnot happen with this research

Unknown said...

its very nice to hear such a wonderful news! congrats to IISC scientists!

dryer vent cleaning said...

This could be very helpful for the environment and a great discovery to help the future times.

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