Carbon dioxide to bio‐fuels by mixed and pure microbial cultures isolated from activated sludge: relative evaluation of CO2 fixation, biodiesel production, and thermodynamic analysis

In the present work, the CO2(g) bio‐mitigation potential (15% [v/v]) of a mixed microbial population, Enterobacter cloacae and Pseudomonas putida, is thermodynamically assessed and compared at different Fe(II) concentrations (energy source). CO2(g) removal efficiency values are evaluated on per‐day basis for all cultures and found maximum for the mixed microbial population. Approximate material balance and thermodynamic assessment of the CO2(g) bio‐mitigation studies have revealed that among all cultures, the mixed microbial population shows the highest actual CO2 utilization efficiency (R.RCO2) of 57.67 (±0.04)%. Leachate (biomass + cell free supernatant) obtained from CO2 bio‐mitigation batch studies were analyzed using FTIR and gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy. The results obtained have shown the presence of fatty acids and hydrocarbons in considerable amounts. The fatty acids obtained from cultures have shown the presence of a carbon chain length in the range of C7–C25, which makes it a potential source of biodiesel. Biodiesel yields of 91.55%, 77.49%, and 38.69% were obtained for the mixed microbial population, E. cloacae and P. putida. The hydrocarbons obtained from all the microbial cultures were found to have a carbon chain length in the range of C9–C32 and comprised saturated and unsaturated groups, which make them comparable to light oil. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.