A South Korean scientist has found a way to significantly increase the amount of bioenergy produced from algae by using ultrasound, the science ministry said Thursday.

   It said Jeon Byeong-hoon, a professor of environmental engineering at Seoul's Yonsei University, carried out tests showing that destroying cell walls of algae with ultrasound causes algae to yield at least six times more bioenergy than unprocessed algae.

   One liter of algae normally produces 0.8 grams of ethanol, but by using the "ultrasonication" process, the same amount of algae yields up to 6 grams of the biomass, according to Lee Sang-hoon, a graduate student on Jeon's research team. The professor could not immediately be reached as he is on a trip to the United States.

   "The research showed not only that algae can be a source of bioenergy, but also that it can be used in various other fields of energy and environment such as bioremediation," the professor was quoted as saying by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

   The findings were to be published in the British science journal Energy & Environmental Science under the title "Enhancement of fermentative bioenergy (ethanol/hydrogen) production using ultrasonication of Scenedesmus obliquus YSW15 cultivated in swine wastewater effluent," according to the ministry.

Source: Yonhap News(Aug.4, 2011)