Ethanol Fermentation of Various Pretreated and Hydrolyzed Substrates at Low Initial pH

Lignocellulosic materials represent an abundant feedstock for bioethanol production. Because of their complex structure pretreatment is necessary to make it accessible for enzymatic attack. Steam pretreatment with or without acid catalysts seems to be one of the most promising techniques, which has...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied biochemistry and biotechnology 2007-04, Vol.137-140 (1-12), p.847-857
Main Authors: KADAR, Zsófia, MALTHA, San Feng, SZENGYEL, Zsolt, RECZEY, Kati, DE LAAT, Wim
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacteria
Biofuels
Biological and medical sciences
Biotechnology
Degradation products
Ethanol
Ethanol - metabolism
Fermentation
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Hydrolysis
Lignin - chemistry
Lignin - metabolism
Methods. Procedures. Technologies
Microbial engineering. Fermentation and microbial culture technology
Saccharomyces cerevisiae - cytology
Saccharomyces cerevisiae - physiology
Stover
Studies
Toxicity
Yeasts
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Summary:Lignocellulosic materials represent an abundant feedstock for bioethanol production. Because of their complex structure pretreatment is necessary to make it accessible for enzymatic attack. Steam pretreatment with or without acid catalysts seems to be one of the most promising techniques, which has already been applied for large variety of lignocellulosics in order to improve enzymatic digestibility. During this process a range of toxic compounds (lignin and sugar degradation products) are formed which inhibit ethanol fermentation. In this study, the toxicity of hemicellulose hydrolysates obtained in the steam pretreatment of spruce, willow, and corn stover were investigated in ethanol fermentation tests using a yeast strain, which has been previously reported to have a resistance to inhibitory compounds generated during steam pretreatment. To overcome bacterial contamination, fermentations were carried out at low initial pH. The fermentability of hemicellulose hydrolysates of pretreated lignocellulosic substrates at low pH gave promising results with the economically profitable final 5 vol% ethanol concentration corresponding to 85% of theoretical. Adaptation experiments have shown that inhibitor tolerance of yeast strain can be improved by subsequent transfer of the yeast to inhibitory medium.
ISSN:0273-2289
1559-0291
DOI:10.1007/s12010-007-9102-y