Simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation for improving the xylose utilization of steam exploded corn stover...

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Renewable Energy
• Biochemical Engineering

Background:

• Steam exploded corn stover (SECS) presents a viable lignocellulosic feedstock for biofuel production.
• Inhibitors present in SECS can hinder efficient hydrolysis and fermentation processes.
• Optimizing conversion processes is crucial for maximizing ethanol yield and productivity from biomass.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficiency of simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) for ethanol production from SECS at various solid loadings.
• To compare SSCF performance with other biomass conversion methods.
• To determine the optimal conditions for maximizing ethanol yield, concentration, and productivity.

Main Methods:

• SECS was pretreated and washed to remove inhibitory compounds.
• SSCF was performed using Saccharomyces cerevisiae IPE003 at solid loadings ranging from 5% to 25%.
• A feeding strategy involving SECS addition within 24 hours was employed to enhance performance.

Main Results:

• Ethanol concentration and productivity increased with higher solid loadings, while yield decreased.
• At 20% solid loading, glucan and xylan conversion reached 82.0% and 82.1%, respectively.
• SSCF at 20% solid loading achieved an ethanol concentration of 60.8 g/L, yield of 75.3%, and productivity of 0.63 g/L/h.

Conclusions:

• SSCF is an effective conversion process for high solid loading ethanol production from SECS.
• The feeding strategy significantly improved SSCF performance.
• Optimized SSCF offers a promising route for enhanced biofuel production from lignocellulosic biomass.