Optimization of alcoholic fermentation using immobilized yeast cells in calcium alginate gel

Abstract

Ethanol is an important industrial chemical with emerging potential as a biofuel to replace fossil fuels. In order to enhance the efficiency and yield of alcoholic fermentation, combined techniques such as cells immobilization and media optimization have been used. The aim of this study was the optimization of sodium alginate concentration and glucose and yeast extract content in the media for ethanol production with immobilized cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Optimization of these parameters was attempted by using a Box-Behnken design using the response surface methodology. The obtained model predicts that the maximum ethanol content of 7.21% (v/v) is produced when the optimal values of sodium alginate concentration and initial content of glucose and yeast extract in the medium are 22.84 g/L, 196.42 g/L and 3.77 g/L, respectively. To minimize the number of yeast cells "eluted" from the alginate beads and residual glucose content in fermented media, additional two sets of optimization were made. The obtained results can be used for further techno-economic analyses of the process to select the optimum conditions of the fermentation process for industrial application.