After worries over the last few weeks of diethylene glycol being substituted for glycerin in cough syrup and toothpaste, I was happy to be reminded that we have a green source for glycerin. No need to risk using Chinese-sourced glycerin - glycerin (glycerol) is a by-product of biodiesel production.
But rather than sell it for pharmaceutical uses, researchers at the University of Missouri at Columbia are investigating the biodiesel by-product for use in cattle feed:
In a study that began this month, Monty Kerley, professor of ruminant nutrition in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, is examining the effectiveness of glycerin as cattle feed. Through November, the MU researcher will monitor the growth habits of 60 calves from various breeds to determine if bio-leftovers provide a healthy main course to cattle. The study has two main priorities: first, to determine if glycerin has a positive or negative effect on calves' growth performance, and second, to assess its impact, if any, on meat quality.
Making biodiesel from waste vegetable oils usually produces glycerol as about 10% of the reaction. Identifying new uses for this glycerin/glycerol "waste" is anticipated to catch up with the increasing demand for biodiesel. So even if successful, the UMC researchers feel that the animal feed solution will only be a short-term fix:
Kerley said developing usages for glycerin necessitates this type of research. In recent years, academic scientists and private-sector companies have been racing to find solutions and applications for the byproduct. An alternative food source for cattle is but one possibility. However, it's likely only a short-term option for the cattle industry.
"We probably have a three- to five-year window to use this for animal feed at a reduced cost," Kerley said. "This glycerin is a wonderful starting compound for building other compounds that can be applied to numerous industrial purposes. After three to five years, you'll see industrial applications utilizing this glycerin, and that may price it out of the animal feed industry."
Right now, glycerin is cheaper than corn on a per-pound basis - the UMC press release cites glycerin as costing only 4 cents per pound, half the price of feed corn. But I'm curious as to how it will be formulated with the animal feed - glycerol is a goopy mess. This research will address how cattle can use the glycerol at up to 20% in the diet and how efficiently it is used as a source for building muscle protein.
But why not also consider channeling biodiesel-produced glycerol into the pharmaceutical, chemical, and cosmetics industry to reduce the risks associated with importing tainted glycerol? I'm sure that commodities chemistry experts are examining how best to channel this waste stream into production.
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Search at Biodiesel Magazine for glycerin and you will see that the industry is actively searching out ways to market the current glut of this versatile and valuable chemical.
I have actually been considering the purchase of a biodiesel short-bus that contains the machinery for converting veggie oil waste into fuel. I will have to look into modifying it to separate the waste - currently the nasty bits and the glycerol all go to the same tank. I want to purchase it, because it is pretty much a break even proposition on fuel. Most places pay for you to take away the used oil. The money you get from that, usually goes to covering the cost of disposing of the refined waste. Extracting the glycerin would probably reduce the cost of disposal and also provide me with more glycerin than I need - I use it in my homemade after bath splash and osha root cough syrup.
I have to modify the system if I buy it anyways, it won't pass DEQ as it is - thus why it's for sale, cheap. The current owner built it herself, years ago - she's opted to just stick to her Prius, rather than overhaul the bus. It would make an ideal family vehicle for us, especially with a new baby on the way. We don't need to drive much, Portland has a great public trans system. When we do want to drive, however, it is always long trips, into the country or up to see my brother in Seattle. Fuel costs drove us to sell the car.
Since 2002 our company manufactures and exports small systems to make methylester("biodiesel") and glycerol. Max capacity is 1000 gal/day.
At present we also offer the BD2-G reactor to process the raw glycerol into purified glycerin and sodium acetate, both useful ingredients for cattle meal.