Jun
25
The company ZeaChem has begun using the termites’ digestive functions as a model to process biofuels. Zeachem has recently started using microbes found in the guts of termites to help breakdown hard to digest cellulosic feedstock such as switch grass and wood chips into simple sugars. The innovative process first uses acid to break down the cellulose into sugar. Ext instead of fermenting the sugars into ethanol with yeast ZeaChem uses acetogen bacteria found in termites to convert the sugar to acetic acid. The acetic acid is then combined with hydrogen to form ethanol. This process has been used by termites to break down cellulosic materials for millions of years, it only makes sense for us to use for the same process.
