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Updated: Dec 2, 2025

Techniques for the Evolution of Robust Pentose-fermenting Yeast for Bioconversion of Lignocellulose to Ethanol
Published on: October 24, 2016
Improvement of ethanol production in fed-batch fermentation using a mixture of sugarcane juice and molasse under very
Mariana Lopes Cruz1, Miriam Maria de Resende2, Eloízio Júlio Ribeiro1
1Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Uberlândia, Av. João Naves de Ávila, 2121, , Campus Santa Mônica - Bloco 1K, Uberlândia, MG, 38408-144, Brazil.
Abstract:
Ethanol fermentation in very high gravity (VHG) saves energy consumption for ethanol distillation. As the technology offers high ethanol yield and low waste generation and it can be operated at low cost, it could be more efficient at an industrial scale than other ethanol production methods. This work studied ethanol production using a fed-batch bioreactor with a working volume of 1.5 L. The main objective of this research was evaluate the effects of temperature, sugar concentration, and cellular concentration using a Central Composite Design (CCD). Experimental conditions were selected using the surface response technique obtained from the CCD, and the results were validated to test the reproducibility. The following operating conditions were selected: temperature of 27.0 °C, sugar concentration 300.0 g/L, and cell concentration 15.0% (v/v). Under these conditions, after 30 h of fermentation the ethanol concentration, productivity and yield were 135.0 g/L, 4.42 g/(L·h) and 90.0%, respectively. All sugar was completely consumed.
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