A potential biomass resource for alternative fuels production is the floating filamentous freshwater algae and plants common in rural Oklahoma.  In preliminary studies, large samples of algae and duckweed (Lemna sp.) were collected by simply skimming pond surfaces.  Samples were sun-dried and powdered.  Energy contents of algal biomass samples were measured through oxygen bomb calorimetry and compared to switchgrass, a land-based Oklahoma biomass crop.  Total C, N and mineral content were determined.  Algae samples from two harvests had slightly lower energy contents (14.4+0.3 & 15.5+0.95kJ/g) than switchgrass samples (17.0+1.0kJ/g).  Algae samples had similarly lower total carbon content (38%C) compared to switchgrass (44%C).  Dried algae contained 50 to 100 times higher Fe and Mn levels compared to switchgrass.  Analysis of duckweed biomass is ongoing.  Currently, slow pyrolysis of dried aquatic biomass is being explored to produce crude bio-oil, for conversion to stable fuels.  (Funding: Oklahoma-NSF-EPSCoR #EPS-0814361 and NASA Oklahoma Space Grant.)

Filamentous freshwater biomass as a bioenergy source

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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