Timothy J. Tse

Natural abundance oxygen-17 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹⁷O-NMR) was applied to study homogeneous transesterification catalysts for fatty acid methyl ester production. Alkoxide catalysts were made with selected permutations of lithium, sodium, magnesium, and potassium hydroxides with ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, and glycerol. Pilot scale transesterification reactions of Canola oil were completed and the ¹⁷O-NMR spectra were collected from the reaction products. The alkoxide solutions showed the downfield shifts relative to the reagent alcohol, in a linear relationship with the concentration of catalyst ion. The electron deshielding of the oxygen of the alkoxide catalyst is observed directly by ¹⁷O-NMR, and the fastest catalyst has the largest downfield (high frequency) shift. This effect is most pronounced in potassium methoxide and less pronounced for less polar solvents such as isopropanol.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada faced a significant challenge addressing the demand for hand sanitizers. Despite having a thriving ethanol industry, the country was not equipped to address this need. The automative ethanol sector in Canada produces lower quality ethanol containing significant impurities that make their products unacceptable for use in hand sanitizers. Meanwhile, distilleries that produce higher grades of ethanol could not keep pace with the unprecendented demand. To address this issue, the Saskatchewan Structural Sciences Centre was employed to develop quality assurance methods for upgrading fuel-grade ethanol into higher grade alcohol, suitable for hand sanitizer. Through partnerships with various stakeholders, we successfully purified fuel-grade ethanol to comply with Health Canada guidelines. Our approach involved several strategies to enrich fuel-grade ethanol, including ozonation, alkaline salt and copper sulfate treatments, and carbon filtration. We also optimized the conditions of the distillation column to further reduce fusel oils to acceptable levels. While acetals and acetaldehyde posed a challenge in the purification process, a combination of amine treatments and optimized distillation were effective in decreasing these impurities to compliant levels. This review not only discusses the potential for Saskatchewan's ethanol producers to enrich fuel-grade ethanol to a higher quality but also highlights how the adversities of the pandemic precipitated innovative research applications. These efforts fostered collaborations between academia, government, and industry, addressing urgent needs, advancing economic sustainability, and transforming a crisis into an opportunity for rapid scientific progress and efficient resource optimization, all while promoting the principals of a circular economy.

Vegetables and fruits, high in starch and sugars, are promising substrates for bioethanol production, but can also yield valuable nootropic compounds, such as α-glycerylphosphorylcholine (α-GPC). This compound is a known cognitive enhancer that works by increasing the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter essential for learning and memory. In this study, select root and tuber crops, as well as fruits, were subjected to Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation to observe the co-production of ethanol and α-GPC. The ethanol yields from these substrates were comparable to those from wheat (var. AC Andrew), ranging from 30.44 g/L (beet) to 70.04 g/L (lotus root). Aside from ethanol, α-GPC was also produced, with purple top turnip yielding 0.91 g/L, the second highest concentration after wheat (used as a reference), which produced 1.25 g/L. Although α-GPC yields in the tested substrates were lower than those from cereal grains (e.g., wheat and barley), a noteworthy observation was the production of methanol in many of these substrates. Methanol was detected in all feedstocks except wheat, with concentrations ranging from 0.10 g/L (cassava) to 1.69 g/L (purple top turnip). A linear regression analysis revealed a strong correlation between methanol and α-GPC content (R² = 0.876; slope = 0.52), suggesting a potential link in their biosynthetic pathways. These feedstocks not only proved effective as substrates for bioethanol production, but also showed potential for generating value-added compounds such as α-GPC. This dual-purpose potential presents new market opportunities for producers by leveraging both biofuel and nootropic compound production. Furthermore, the observed relationship between methanol and α-GPC production warrants further investigation to elucidate the metabolic pathways involved.

Removal of polar impurities, such as phospholipids, free fatty acids (FFA), and peroxides, can be challenging during the refining of crude canola oil. Current conventional refining methods are energy-intensive (e.g., hot water washes) and can generate significant waste (e.g., wastewater effluent) and neutral oil loss. This study investigated the joint use of nano-adsorbents and electrostatic field (E-field) treatment as a potential and sustainable alternative in removing these impurities during the oil refining process. Specifically, aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) nanoparticles were employed to neutralize FFAs, achieving a 62.4% reduction in acid value while preserving the fatty acid profile of the oil. After refining, E-field treatment was successful in removing the spent nano-adsorbent from solution (up to 72.3% by weight), demonstrating enhanced efficiency compared to conventional methods (e.g., gravitational settling, filtration, and centrifugation). The neutral oil loss using Al₂O₃ nano-adsorbents was also comparable to conventional refining methods, with a 4.38% (by weight) loss. After E-field treatment, the Al₂O₃ nano-adsorbent was then calcined to assess reusability. The Al₂O₃ nano-adsorbent was effectively recycled for three refining cycles. the methods do not use of large amounts of water and generate minimal waste byproducts (e.g., effluent). Nonetheless, while the nano-adsorbents demonstrated promising results in FFA removal, they were less effective in eliminating peroxides and pigments. E-field techniques were also effective in removing spent nano-adsorbent; although, optimization of E-field parameters could further improve its binding capacity. Finally, future studies could potentially focus on the physicochemical modifications of the nano-adsorbent material to enhance their refining capacity and reusability. Overall, this study presents a sustainable alternative or addition to conventional refining methods and lays the groundwork for future research.

Evidence from hearths reveals the utilization and management of fire dating back to the Pleistocene epoch. In the Neolithic era (10 000 BC to 2200 BC) early fuel sources included wood, charcoal, animal dung, peat, oils, leaves, grass, moss, lichens, seaweed, bone, horn, plant resins, and fats. With the progression of human civilization, fossil fuels (coal, petroleum products, and natural gas) emerged as dominant low-cost energy feedstocks. More recently, the potential effects of the accumulation of greenhouse gases produced from fossil fuel combustion have led to increased concerns, especially about climate change and environmental degradation. The growing global population is driving increased energy demand and prompting a shift towards environmentally friendly and sustainable approaches for biofuel production (e.g., bioethanol and biodiesel). Three generations of biofuel production have emerged, while a fourth is under exploration. Furthermore, the production of biodiesel, and green diesel seeks to address escalating energy needs through sustainable alternatives. With available technologies, the biofuel sector is expected to achieve a market valuation of $245 billion (about $750 per person in the US) by 2027. Possibly greater impact will be realized with new innovations being investigated and developed. This chapter will provide a brief history of fossil fuels and biofuels and will also delve into current production and potential future innovations.

The demand for sustainable and functional plant-based products is on the rise. Plant proteins and polysaccharides often provide emulsification and stabilization properties to food and food ingredients. Recently, chickpea cooking water, also known as aquafaba, has gained popularity as a substitute for egg whites in sauces, food foams, and baked goods due to its foaming and emulsifying capacities. This study presents a modified eco-friendly process to obtain process water from faba beans and isolate and characterize the foam-inducing components. The isolated material exhibits similar functional properties, such as foaming capacity, to aquafaba obtained by cooking pulses. To isolate the foam-inducing component, the faba bean process water was mixed with anhydrous ethanol, and a precipitated fraction was obtained. The precipitate was easily dissolved, and solutions prepared with the alcohol precipitate retained the foaming capacity of the original extract. Enzymatic treatment with α-amylase or protease resulted in reduced foaming capacity, indicating that both protein and carbohydrates contribute to the foaming capacity. The dried precipitate was found to be 23% protein (consisting of vicilin, α-legumin, and β-legumin) and 77% carbohydrate (amylose). Future investigations into the chemical structure of this foam-inducing agent can inform the development of foaming agents through synthetic or enzymatic routes. Overall, this study provides a potential alternative to aquafaba and highlights the importance of exploring plant-based sources for functional ingredients in the food industry.

Transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, referred to as COVID-19, has persisted beyond 2020 and led to a global pandemic with far reaching consequences. Many changes in public policy and health measures were developed and implemented with the intention of slowing the spread of the novel virus. Disruptions from the global pandemic created major supply chain consequences due to stockpiling of essential goods (alcohol-based hand sanitizers and surface disinfectants), impacts on trade routes, and limitations on modes of transportation due to border closures. Rapid increase in the use of hand sanitizers and surface disinfectants significantly affected the production capacity of high-quality ethanol (e.g., USP and FCC grade) resulting in regulatory changes in countries facing shortages. Prompt enactment of government policies allowed for use of alcohol with higher impurities to offset heightened demand and increase commercial availability. Changes in monitoring methods were also observed, where many agencies began to track viral shedding through municipal wastewater. In this chapter, we will discuss the impacts of COVID-19 on public policies and health measures, economics as it relates to supply chain disruptions, and the implementation of novel monitoring methods to survey the spread of COVID-19.