Evaluation of Chlorella (Chlorophyta) as Source of Fermentable Sugars via Cell Wall Enzymatic Hydrolysis

The cell wall of Chlorella is composed of up to 80% carbohydrates including cellulose. In this study, Chlorella homosphaera and Chlorella zofingiensis were evaluated as source of fermentable sugars via their cell wall enzymatic degradation. The algae were cultivated in inorganic medium, collected at the stationary growth phase and centrifuged. The cell pellet was suspended in citrate buffer, pH 4.8 and subjected to 24 hours hydrolysis at 50°C using a cellulases, xylanases, and amylases blend. The measurement of glucose and reducing sugars concentration in the reaction mixture supernatant, on a dry biomass base, showed hydrolysis yields of 2.9% and 5.03% glucose and 4.8% and 8.6% reducing sugars, for C. homosphaera and C. zofingiensis, respectively. However if cells were washed with chilled ethanol, cold dried, and grounded the biomass hydrolysis yields increased to 23.3% and 18.4% glucose and 24.5% and 19.3% reducing sugars for C. homosphaera and C. zofingiensis, respectively.