Ethanol production from wheat straw hemicellulose hydrolysate by Pichia stipitis

Abstract

Ethanol production was evaluated from wheat straw (WS) hemicellulose acid hydrolysate using an adapted and parent strain of Pichia stipitis. NRRL Y-7124. The treatment by boiling and overliming with Ca(OH) 2 significantly improved the fermentability of the hydrolysate. Ethanol yield ( Y p/ s ) and productivity ( Q p av) were increased 2.4±0.10 and 5.7±0.24 folds, respectively, compared to neutralized hydrolysate. Adaptation of the yeast to the hydrolysate resulted further improvement in yield and productivity. The maximum yield was 0.41±0.01 g p g s −1, equivalent to 80.4±0.55% theoretical conversion efficiency. Acetic acid, furfurals and lignins present in the hydrolysate were inhibitory to microbial growth and ethanol production. The addition of these inhibitory components individually or in various combinations at a concentrations similar to that found in hydrolysate to simulated medium resulted a reduction in ethanol yield ( Y p/ s ) and productivity ( Q p av). The hydrolysate used had the following composition (expressed in g l −1): xylose 12.8±0.25; glucose 1.7±0.3; arabinose 2.6±0.21 and acetic acid 2.7±0.33.