2nd Generation Ethanol by Zygomycetes Fungi at Elevated Temperatures

Paper i proceeding, 2014

Seven zygomycetes tempe isolates were screened for ethanol production at 40oC, 45oC, 50oC. All the isolates were able to produce ethanol at 40oC with the yields of 0.39-0.47 g/g on glucose and three isolates were able to produce ethanol at 45oC with the yields of 0.22-0.26 g/g on glucose. No isolate could grow and produce ethanol at 50oC. One isolate was selected and used for ethanol production from untreated and fungal-pretreated oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB), untreated and fungal-pretreated oat straw as well as Avicel by non-isothermal simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (NSSF). This NSSF included hydrolysis with cellulase and β-glucosidase for 24 h at 45oC, followed by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation using the selected isolate at 40oC for 96 h. The NSSF of untreated and fungal-pretreated OPEFB, untreated and fungal-pretreated oat straw, and Avicel resulted in 14.10%, 14.25%, 27.28%, 49.88%, and 63.77% ethanol compared to the theoretical yield.