EPA to re-evaluate health effects of popular farm weed killer found in drinking water suppliesOctober 7th, 2009 EPA to review health risk from popular weed killerWASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday that it will re-evaluate the health effects of a popular weed killer that has been found in drinking water supplies. The EPA will take another look at the science on atrazine, a herbicide commonly used on corn and other crops, and decide whether further restrictions are needed to protect human health.
Converting trash into biofuel may cut CO2 emissions by 80 percentSeptember 30th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists in Singapore and Switzerland have suggested that converting the trash that fills the world's landfills into biofuel could cut global carbon emissions by 80 percent. Biofuels produced from crops have proven controversial because they require an increase in crop production that has its own severe environmental costs.
Reject watermelon juice can be valuable source of biofuelAugust 26th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new research, scientists have shown that the juice of reject watermelons can be efficiently fermented into ethanol, which means that watermelon juice can be a valuable source of biofuel. The research was conducted by Wayne Fish and a team of researchers at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service's South Central Agricultural Research Laboratory in Lane, Oklahoma, US.
Scientists boost production of biofuel that could replace gasolineAugust 20th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Engineers at Ohio State University, US, have found a way to double the production of the biofuel butanol, which might someday replace gasoline in automobiles. The process improves on the conventional method for brewing butanol in a bacterial fermentation tank.
Bioethanol's impact on water supply 3 times higher than previously thoughtAugust 6th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new study, scientists have determined that production of bioethanol, often regarded as the clean-burning energy source of the future, may consume up to three times more water than previously thought. Sangwon Suh and colleagues from Minnesota, point out in the study that annual bioethanol production in the US is currently about 9 billion gallons and note that experts expect it to increase in the near future.
New energy-efficient method could revolutionize production of biofuelsAugust 4th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A team of scientists has developed a more energy-efficient method of chemical separations that could revolutionize processes in the petrochemical and biofuels industries. The method has been developed by a team of researchers, led by chemical engineering and materials science professor Michael Tsapatsis in the University of Minnesota's Institute of Technology.
Shrimp catalyst may churn out cheaper, greener biofuelJuly 30th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A catalyst made out of shrimp shells may churn out faster, cheaper and greener biodiesel, according to a new study. Xinsheng Zheng and colleagues, who led the study in China, described the development of a new catalyst produced from shrimp shells.
New method uses electrolyzed water for more efficient fuel productionJuly 28th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A research conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois (U of I) has determined that using electrolyzed water rather than harsh chemicals could be a more effective and environmentally friendly method in the pretreatment of ethanol waste products to produce an acetone-butanol-ethanol fuel mix. When ethanol is produced, distiller's dried grain with solubles (DDGS) is a waste product.
Developing biofuels as alternative to imported oil may damage water resourcesJune 16th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists at Rice University have warned that the US must be careful that the new emphasis on developing biofuels as an alternative to imported oil takes into account potential damage to the nation's water resources. "The ongoing, rapid growth in biofuels production could have far-reaching environmental and economic repercussions, and it will likely highlight the interdependence and growing tension between energy and water security," according to a report titled "The Water Footprint of Biofuels: A Drink or Drive Issue?"
The report, written by Pedro Alvarez, the George R.
New electrical device can turn CO2 into biofuelApril 27th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Researchers in the US have made a new electrical device that could improve fuel cell technology by turning carbon dioxide (CO2) into methane, a potential biofuel. According to a report in ABC News, the technique won't combat global warming directly, since both CO2 and methane are potent greenhouse gases, but it could help store alternative energies such as wind and solar more efficiently.
Biofuel crops can become invasive pests in tropical areasApril 22nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new research, scientists have concluded that biofuel crops proposed for use in the Hawaiian Islands are two to four times more likely to become invasive pests in Hawaii and other tropical areas when compared to a random sample of other introduced plants. The research was done by scientists with the University of Hawaii Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, who examined the impact of unregulated planting of biofuel crops for their potential invasiveness and raised concerns about their impacts on Hawaii's environment.
Scientists transform CO2 into clean-burning biofuelApril 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists at Singapore's Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) have become the first to transform the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) into methanol, which is a widely used industrial feedstock and clean-burning biofuel. The IBN researchers report that by using organocatalysts, they activated CO2 in a mild and non-toxic process to produce methanol, a widely used industrial feedstock and clean-burning biofuel.
Biofuels could hasten climate changeApril 15th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study has found that biofuels can hasten climate change, and it will take more than 75 years for the carbon emissions saved through the use of biofuels to compensate for the carbon lost when biofuel plantations are established on forestlands. If the original habitat was peatland, carbon balance would take more than 600 years.
Scientists sequence genome of sorghum, key food, biofuel cropFebruary 2nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists have completely sequenced and analysed the genome of sorghum, a major food and fodder plant with huge potential as a bio-energy crop. The genome data will help scientists in optimising sorghum and other crops not only for food and fodder use, but also for biofuels production.
Marine algae most promising bet for green fuelJanuary 4th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists see marine algae as the most promising bet for a green fuel that would help ease the dependence on fossil fuel and power vehicles of the future. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of Californa San Diego (UCSD), scientists along with their counterparts from its division of biological sciences are part of an emerging algal biofuel consortium that includes academic collaborators, CleanTECH, public and private partners.
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