Preliminary study on bioethanol from fresh water algae, Cladophora glomerata (Sarai Kai) by the fungus, Monascus sp. NP1

Abstract

This work focused on the characteristics of ethanol regulation from Monascus sp. NP1. in glucose liquid medium, a saccharification method using algae and bioethanol production from Cladophora glomerata by the fungus. The results showed that when the fungus was grown in glucose (2, 20, 40 and 50%) medium under 110 rpm rotary culture at 30 °C, the ethanol concentration at 120 h increased from 2 to 20% glucose, where it peaked. It then decreased gradually to 40%, with production stopping at 50% glucose. This result indicated the glucose regulation of ethanol production by the fungus. Ethanol present in 20% glucose medium was identified by retention time and co-injection with a standard to demonstrate that the product was ethanol. Its yield was 285 mM [13 g L−1 or 65 mg (g of glucose substrate)−1] with a low interference of by-products. Three-millimetre-long pieces of dried algae were cut and exposed to concentrations of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 g in 65 mL of 0.3 N hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid before autoclaving (121 °C, 15 psi, 15 min). The amount of reducing sugar was greater than that of the control (without acid treatment) and varied with the increasing quantity of algae. The best condition was sulfuric acid and 6 g dried algae. The type of acid appeared to affect saccharification. During 12 days of fermentation in algal extraction (2 g reducing sugar per millilitre algal extraction), the mould could produce twofold more ethanol yield [34–55 mg (100 g dried weight algae)−1] than the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae TISTR 5049.