Glasgow Caledonian University
SEBE PhD Research Project Portfolio
Project Reference Number
SEBE_DSS_SS_1
School/Institute/Research Group
Engineering and Built Environment / Institute for Sustainable Engineering and
Technology Research / Diagnostics Systems and Sensors Research Group
Research Discipline
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Raman Spectroscopy and Microscopy,
Energy,
Biofuel.
Project Title
Viability of Immobilised Yeast Cells for the Production of Bioethanol studied
using Raman Spectroscopy
Research Project Summary
The efficient production of biofuels is a growth research area as the global
demand for energy increases while there is a desire to decrease our reliance
on petrochemicals. Bioenergy is produced when biomass is fermented in the
presence of sugars to produce sustainable biofuels such as bioethanol and
biodiesel. In bioethanol production yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) are
grown in a high nutrient environment to produce bioethanol. Immobilisation
of the cells within a biocompatible polymer has the advantage of high
productivity, cellular stability and reducing production cost. S. cerevisiae are
ideal cells due to their ability to survive in high ethanol environments.
Studying different yeast strains and immobilisation methods to ensure that
the yeast remain viable would ultimately lead to improve the cost implications
of the process as efficient production requires the cells to remain viable
during the fermentation process. The cell viability can be monitored using
Raman and fluorescence technologies. The Raman spectrum of live and dead
cells is different, and changes in the spectrum will be monitored during the
growth and decay stages to study changes in the cell morphology during the
fermentation process.
The aims of the research project are to
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Use Raman spectroscopy to study yeast (and other) cell growth and
decay in different feeding regimes to monitor cell viability,
Study different immobilisation methods to determine the optimum
conditions for cell growth,
Identify biomass materials which are capable of efficient biofuel
production.
There is a world expansion on the production of biofuels with a projected
production capacity to reach 155 billion litres and 42 billion litres for
bioethanol and biodiesel respectively by 2020.1 Hence this research will
provide valuable information on identifying biological cells and immobilisation
methods to determine and hence improve the viability of cells and hence
more efficient biofuel production.
1. OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2011-2020. http://www.oecd.org/site/oecdfaoagriculturaloutlook/48178823.pdf (Accessed 20th Feb 2014)
Supervisory Team
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Staff Contact
Director of Studies: Dr A.Sheila Smith, MEEE, Diagnostic Systems and
Sensors Group, Institute for Sustainable Engineering and Technology
Research, EBE
2nd Supervisor: Dr Mahesh Uttamlal, MEEE, Diagnostic Systems and
Sensors Group, Institute for Sustainable Engineering and Technology
Research, EBE
3rd Supervisor: Dr Alistair Sutherland, Life Sciences, Bimolecular,
Microbiology & Food Sciences, HLS
Dr A Sheila Smith
a.s.smith@gcu.ac.uk
Tel: 0141 331 3552