Turning Fruit Peels into Green Gold: A Sustainable Approach

Ever thought about turning your leftover fruit peels into something useful? Researchers have done just that by using pumpkin, papaya, and orange peels to grow microalgae. The goal? To produce biofuel, a special pigment called lutein, and something called biochar. This isn't just about creating new things; it's about doing it sustainably. The study found that the best amounts of peels for growing microalgae were 2. 8 milligrams per liter of orange peels, 35. 5 milligrams per liter of papaya peels, and the same for pumpkin peels. They also figured out that the right amount of light and nitrogen was key. With these perfect conditions, the microalgae called Chlorella sorokiniana grew really well, making 3. 16 grams per liter of biomass, 1. 55 grams per liter of lipids (which can be turned into biofuel), and 9. 18 milligrams per liter of carotenoids (including lutein). And get this, the microalgae also produced a lot of a specific type of fat called palmitic acid. But the story doesn't end there. The leftover microalgae were turned into biochar at 350 degrees Celsius. This biochar was then used to improve soil for growing a type of bean called Vigna radiata. This whole process is like a big loop, where waste is turned into something useful, and then that something useful is turned back into something even more useful. The study shows that this loop could be really important for a sustainable future.