Bioethanol production from thick juice as intermediate of sugar beet processing

• Published in: Biomass & bioenergy 2009-05, Vol.33 (5), p.822-827
• Main Authors: Dodić, Siniša, Popov, Stevan, Dodić, Jelena, Ranković, Jovana, Zavargo, Zoltan, Jevtić Mučibabić, Rada
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: alcoholic fermentation; Alcohols: methanol, ethanol, etc; Alternative fuels. Production and utilization; Applied sciences; Bioethanol; Biofuel production; biofuels; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; carbon dioxide; culture media; Energy; ethanol; ethanol production; Exact sciences and technology; Fermentation; Fuels; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gas production (biological); Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; molasses; optimization; plant byproducts; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Sugar beet; sugar beet thick juice; sugar content; sugar refining; Thick juice; yields
• ISSN: 0961-9534; 1873-2909
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2009.01.002

The aims of this study were to investigate the bioethanol production of thick juice as intermediate from sugar beet processing in batch culture by free Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells and the effect of sugar concentration on ethanol yield and CO 2 weight loss rate. Thick juice and molasses of sugar beet from a domestic sugar factory were diluted with distilled water to give a total sugar concentration of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25% (w w −1). Initial concentration of fermentable sugars of 20% (w w −1) in culture medium can be taken as optimal, enabling maximal ethanol yield (68%) and maximal CO 2 evolution rate was realized, amounting to more than 90 g L −1 h −1. The optimal concentration of fermentable sugar from thick juice for bioethanol production by free S. cerevisiae cells was 20% (w w −1) at 30 °C, pH 5 and agitation rate 200 rpm gave maximum ethanol concentration of 12% (v v −1).