NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Scientists in Louisiana say they've found bacteria that can use recycled paper or any cellulose to produce butanol, a biofuel substitute for gasoline.
The new bacterium, dubbed "TU-103," is the first bacterial strain from nature that can produce butanol directly from cellulose, a Tulane University release said Thursday.
"Cellulose is found in all green plants, and is the most abundant organic material on earth, and converting it into butanol is the dream of many," said Tulane researcher Harshad Velankar.
"In the United States alone, at least 323 million tons of cellulosic materials that could be used to produce butanol are thrown out each year," he said.
As a biofuel, butanol has advantages over ethanol, the researchers said, because it can fuel existing motor vehicles without any engine modifications and can be transported through existing fuel pipelines.
It is also less corrosive and can produce more energy than ethanol, they said.
"In addition to possible savings on the price per gallon, as a fuel, bio-butanol produced from cellulose would dramatically reduce carbon dioxide and smog emissions in comparison to gasoline, and have a positive impact on landfill waste," research leader David Mullin said.
