Acceleration of ethanol production from paper mill waste fiber by supplementation with β-glucosidase

Abstract

Ethanol production through simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) is discussed, in which paper mill waste fiber (WF) from the ammonium sulfite pulp process was used. The process was improved by the supplementation of the cellulase from Penicillium decumbens JU-A10 with the β-glucosidase-rich cellulase from Aspergillus niger L22. When the ratio of β-glucosidase activity (β GA) to filter paper activity (FPA) of the mixed cellulase was increased to 1.0, and FPA ≥ 2.0 IU ml -1, the maximum ethanol concentration of 5.4% was obtained. Furthermore, the degradation of cellulose and WF was increased by 33.9 and 15.2%, respectively, and the ethanol yield was increased by 42.1% when compared to those in the SSF using P. decumbens JU-A10 cellulase only.