Page 11 - Shimadzu Journal vol.4 Issue1

New Energy

Applications of GC-MS in Algal Biomass Research

Yoshiyuki Okamura, Shimadzu Corporation

Due to the growing awareness of global warming, algal biomass has
received attention as a new renewable energy alternative to oil
resources. Algal production efficiency per unit area is higher than for
corn and sugarcane. In addition, CO 2 and organic drainage are used
during algal cultivation, so benefits are also anticipated in terms of air
and water purification. Moreover, policies have been raised in the U.S.
and Europe that specify an increase in jet fuel bio ratios; as a result,
increases in the demand for biofuel equivalents to jet fuel are Fig. 1 Molecule Structures of Squalene and Squalane
anticipated. At present, there are issues with the high cost of algal
biofuel production in comparison to crude oil. However, the algal This article introduces an example of the GC-MS measurement of
biofuel market is expected to grow to the scale of 800 billion yen by squalane hydrogenation degradation products obtained by modifying
2020 in Japan (JETRO, 2013). Squalene (C 30 H 50 ) is one of the oils squalene with a catalyst.
obtained from algae. Since it is a hydrocarbon equivalent to heavy oil, Squalane (C 30 H 62 ) is a saturated hydrocarbon with a branched
it must be modified for use as a jet fuel. structure, obtained by hydrogenating squalene (Fig. 1). As shown in
Fig. 2, hydrogenation degradation products are generated by cleaving
C-C bonds in the squalene molecule using a catalyst.

Fig. 2 Hydrogenation degradation products are generated by cleaving C-C bonds in the squalene molecule using a catalyst

11