Colombian researchers develop process to produce 1.3 propanodiol from glycerin

In Colombia, researchers at the Biotechnology Institute at the country’s National University (IBUN) are using a microorganism found in local soils known as IBUN 158B Clostridium to produce 1.3 propanodiol from glycerin using a metabolic process. About half a kilo of the chemical can be produced from a kilo of glycerin, which could be a major boon for the biofuel industry considering palm oil-based biodiesel is a triglyceride with three fatty acids connected by glycerin.