Manchester, U. (2019). Biofuels could be made from bacteria that grow in seawater |
Biomassmagazine.com. Retrieved 18 November 2019, from http://biomassmagazine.
com/articles/16583/biofuels-could-be-made-from-bacteria-that-grow-in-seawater

 

A Manchester research group led by Professor Nigel Scrutton of the University of Manchester is conducting research in China Lake, California. The research is meant to study a species of bacteria called Halomonas that lives in seawater and is thought to produce a biofuel that the researchers are trying to use as jet fuel. The key points of a good, economic biofuel are that they require minimal processing, avoid the use of fresh water, and can be cultivated on a massive scale, all of which could be true.

 

This seems like one of the most promising biofuels that I have read about thus far. The fact that this bacteria grows in seawater means that fewer resources will have to go into it to produce a good biofuel, and most likely it can survive in less controlled conditions, meaning that their upkeep should not be too expensive. This relates to environmental science as the production of biofuels is a pursuit in sustainability and strives to reduce the pollution that comes with burning traditional fuels. The bacteria are said to have a very long lifespan and are durable, which means that they are also economical, and if their fuel is ever put into production, it would be able to be implemented because it could be sold at a lower cost.