Researchers have found that bacteria growing in the wood of sweet gum trees, also known as alligator wood, may improve the process of making biofuels.
The fuel would be developed from plant material often discarded as trash, said James Preston, project leader and professor in UF's microbiology and cell science department.
Typically, the processes use genetically engineered bacteria or chemical reactions to break down compounds in plant cell walls to produce simple sugar molecules that can be fermented into fuel-grade alcohol, he said. The bacteria found in the sweet gum tree could help make the process more efficient for cost-effective production of cellulosic ethanol.
Cellulose is the tough support system of plant material found in different forms of waste like decaying wood.
One of the advantages, he said, is that plants are abundant, making cellulose plentiful, as opposed to grains, which are necessary for food production.
With the population growing, he said, food demand increases, leaving less grain left for ethanol production.
According to Gary Teter, associate professor in the school of forest resources and conservation, one of the major contributing factors to greenhouse gas emissions is fossil fuels.
But ethanol fuel does not add to the growth of greenhouse gases, he said, because it does not produce carbon dioxide as a byproduct.
Using ethanol fuel will also decrease the amount of petroleum used.
Mark Van Soestbergen, president of the Gainesville-based International Carbon Bank and Exchange, said being able to dissolve trees into a useful fuel is a great thing.
"If it can be done efficiently, we can grow forests strictly for fuel purposes and eventually run carbon neutral," he said.
According to Van Soestbergen, car engines waste about 80 percent of the fuel, but only about 20 percent of ethanol is wasted, making it more efficient and less damaging to the environment.
According to Preston, the research is a step toward fixing the country's waste of resources.
"We need to make a difference now in conserving our fossil fuels so we don't run out," Preston said.
