United Press International
06-05-07
Scientists want to ID good ethanol crops
AMES, Iowa, June 5 (UPI) -- U.S. government scientists are developing a
technology to assist in the identification of good feed stocks for the nation's
ethanol industry.
Researchers at the Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory said the technology
could be used to determine prime harvest conditions in the field, much the way
vintners monitor grapes for peak flavor.
Analytical chemist Emily Smith said the technology -- called Raman imaging -compares spectroscopic analysis of plant cell material with microscopic images
of the cell structure to determine the suitability of crops for use in ethanol
production. Plants high in cellulose and low in lignin are most cost effective to
convert into ethanol. The researchers said the technology could also be adapted
to study crops for pharmaceutical uses.
"Just like vintners monitor and test the sugar content of their grapes in the field,
biofuel producers could potentially use this technology to determine if their crop
was at optimal development for conversion to ethanol," said Smith.
Ames Laboratory is operated for the Department of Energy by Iowa State
University and conducts research into various areas of national concern,
including energy resources, high-speed computer design and the synthesis and
study of new materials.