U of I agricultural engineers Kent Rausch and Vijay Singh have done extensive research to develop corn milling techniques that optimize ethanol production and recover high value coproducts. Now they are taking this research one step further, seeking to minimize the negative effects these coproducts might have on the environment.

"There's a way of using a certain kind of membrane in a modified dry grind corn milling process that would divert the phosphorus," Rausch said.

This membrane would remove phosphorus from the thin stillage that becomes feed, Singh added. "And when you feed animals more efficiently, the manure problem is likely to go down."

Rausch and Singh are gearing up to test the membrane to determine just how effective it is in reducing phosphorus levels in animal feed.

Phosphorus is an environmental concern because the phosphorus fed to an animal goes onto the land as manure. Then some of the phosphorus can move into our water and eventually create problems like algae in our lakes.

Corn gluten feed (CGF) and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) are major coproducts of the corn milling industry that contain valuable nutrients and are fed to ruminant animals. But CGF and DDGS may contain high phosphorus concentrations.

"Phosphorus is not really needed in animal feed, not in the levels that are present," said Rausch. "Ruminant diets typically contain forages and grains that satisfy dietary phosphorus requirements. So if large amounts of CGF or DDGS are added to diets, phosphorus levels can increase and result in excessive amounts in animal wastes."

As regulations for phosphorus concentrations in soils become more restrictive, disposal of animal waste becomes more of an issue. Reducing phosphorus in waste will be an important strategy, and will directly impact the value of coproducts.

Therefore, Rausch and Singh continue to work on research that will give a detailed evaluation and accounting of phosphorus in coproducts from corn processing. Their efforts with new technology may make these coproducts more environmentally acceptable as ingredients for animal production.

Source: Kent Rausch (krausch@uiuc.edu);
Vijay Singh (vsingh@uiuc.edu)
Writer: Leanne Lucas (llucas@uiuc.edu)

Leanne C. Lucas
University of Illinois College of ACES
65 Mumford Hall, MC 710
1301 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 244-9085
llucas@uiuc.edu