Brian Gray, Mechanical Engineering
Mentor: Dr. Melba Horton
The search for viable alternatives to fossil fuels is a hot topic worldwide with biofuel being one possible solution. This study seeks to determine the viability of using diatoms found locally from the lakes of Polk County. Diatoms are known for their porous silica shells that are explored for various technological applications. With the help of the Polk County Parks and Recreation, diatoms were sampled from various lakes around Polk country and grown in both indoor and outdoor photo-bioreactors.
Cells are currently grown in Alga-Gro culture media and harvested after 15 and 30 days to compare for best time of harvest with optimum yield of lipid produced. Preliminary lipid extraction has been performed using a modified version of the Bligh and Dyer (1959) method. Results of the preliminary extraction showed a promising yield of more than 30%, which is at par with other biofuel sources, but with the promise of better cost efficiency considering the local supply and availability of the resource. The success of possible mass production of these locally available diatoms as biofuel alternative holds a promise for economic growth and development not only for the county but also for the state, as we venture into a cleaner energy throughout the country and around the globe.
