An Investigation into the Possibility of Producing Fuel Ethanol from Forest Anchomanes (Anchomanes Difformis (Bl.) ENGL.)

Abstract

One of the factors responsible for the slow growth of the Nigerian Biofuel Programme is the concern trailing the use of cassava, a crop that has food, feed and industrial value in Nigeria, for fuel production. As an alternative feedstock, this study investigates the possibility of producing fuel ethanol from forest anchomanes (FA), Anchomanes difformis (Bl.) Engl., a plant that has no food and feed value in Nigeria. Results showed that FA tubers were rich in carbohydrate, between 70 and Sarkar, 2011 %. The stoichiometric ethanol content of FA varied from 0.032 to 0.054 kg kg^-1 of fresh tubers, while the crude FA ethanol had a mean density of Nwachukwu and Simonyan, 2015 1.2 kg/m³ at 20 °C. This suggests that FA has some potential for fuel ethanol production. This finding is useful to countries in the West African sub-region where FA is found.

Keywords: Forest anchomanes tuber; Forest anchomanes starch; Ethanol content; Ethanol density; Nigeria biofuel programme

DOI: 10.7176/JETP/10-1-03

Publication date: January 31^st 2020