Endophytic Fungi as a Source of Biofuel Precursors

• Published in: Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol. 21; no. 7; pp. 728 - 733
• Main Authors: Santos-Fo, Florisvaldo C., Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil, Fill, Taicia Pacheco, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil, Nakamura, Joanita, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil, Monteiro, Marcos Roberto, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil, Rodrigues-Fo, Edson, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Seoul Korean Society for Applied Microbiology 01-07-2011; 한국미생물·생명공학회
• Subjects: BIOCARBURANT; BIOCARBURANTE; Biofuel production; BIOFUELS; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Chromatography; Culture Media - chemistry; DIESEL ENGINES; endophytic fungi; Energy; fatty acid methyl esters; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungi - growth & development; Fungi - isolation & purification; Fungi - metabolism; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Lipid Metabolism; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Mass Spectrometry; Methanol - metabolism; MOTEUR DIESEL; MOTORES DIESEL; Plants - microbiology; 생물학; Fungi; fatty acid methyl esters; endophytic fungi; Endophyte; Biofuel; Fatty acid methyl ester; Biodiesel; Precursor
• ISSN: 1017-7825; 1738-8872
• DOI: 10.4014/jmb.1010.10052

Endophytic fungi, isolated from a number of different species of tropical plants, were investigated for lipid biodiesel precursor production. The extracts produced from liquid cultures of these fungi were subjected to acid-catalyzed transesterification reactions with methanol producing methyl esters and then analyzed through chromatographic (GC-FID) and spectrometric techniques (MS, NMR ¹H). The European Standard Method, EN 14103, was used for the quantification of methyl esters extracted from the fungi of the species and genera studied. Xylariaceous fungi exhibited the highest concentrations of methyl esters (91%), and hence may be a promising source for biofuel.