Corn better used as food than biofuel

Corn is grown not only for food; it is also used as an important renewable energy source. But renewable biofuels can come with hidden economic and environmental issues.

A harvester in a corn field. Image credit: Praveen Kumar/NSF

The question of whether corn is better used as food or as biofuel has persisted since ethanol came into use. Now, for the first time, researchers have quantified and compared these issues in terms of the economics of the entire production system to determine if the benefits of biofuel corn outweigh the costs.

Scientists of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign show that using biofuel corn doesn't completely offset the environmental effects of producing that corn.

The researchers took several steps to compare the energy efficiency and environmental effects of corn production and processing for food and for biofuel. They inventoried the required resources, then determined the economic and environmental effects of using those resources -- defined in terms of energy available and expended, and normalized to cost in U.S. dollars.

The scientists quantified the environmental effects in terms of critical zone services, including impacts on the atmosphere and on water quality, and looked at corn's societal value both as food and fuel.

One of the key factors lies in the soil. The assessment considered both short-term and long-term soil effects, such as on nutrients and carbon storage.

Most of the environmental effects came from soil nutrients. Soil's role is often overlooked in this type of assessment. (National Science Foundation)

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Electricity from Sewage: Process Also Kills Germs

A scientific breakthrough has taken an emerging biotechnology a step closer to being used to treat wastewater in the developing world.

Better IV Insertion Device

Researchers invented a vibrating device, used with a cold pack, which relieves a child's pain while emergency department caregivers insert an intravenous (IV) catheter, equally as well as the currently used anesthetic, topical lidocaine.

Study Finds Mixed News About Bee Populations

There’s a glimmer of hope for the American bee population. But, according to a new study, the outlook for this critical insect is mostly grim.

World's Fastest Film Camera

A research group has developed a camera that can film at a rate equivalent to five trillion images per second, or events as short as 0.2 trillionths of a second. This is faster than has previously been possible.

How Our Memory Works

Our memory reflects our last retrieval of it rather than an exact account of the original event. When long-term memories are recalled, they become fragile and changeable. New proteins must be produced to reconsolidate retrieved memories and return them to long-term storage in the brain.

3-D gel-nanoparticle device detoxifies blood

Researchers developed a liver-inspired 3-D device made of hydrogel and nanoparticles that can remove toxins from blood. Designed for use outside the body, the device provides a proof-of-concept model for new detoxification techniques.