The effect of temperature and pH on ethanol production by free and immobilized cells of Kluyveromyces marxianus grown on Jerusalem artichoke extract

Abstract

The effect of temperature and pH on the kinetics of ethanol production by free and calcium alginate immobilized cells of Kluyveromyces marxianus grown on Jerusalem artichoke extract was investigated. With the free cells, the ethanol and biomass yields were relatively constant over the temperature range 25-35 degrees C, but dropped sharply beyond 35 degrees C. Other kinetic parameters, specific growth rate, specific ethanol production rate, and specific total sugar uptake rate were maximum at 35 degrees C. However, with the immobilized cells, ethanol yield remained almost constant in the temperature range 25-45 degrees C, and the specific ethanol production rate and specific total sugar uptake rate attained their maximum values at 40 degrees C. For the pH range between 3 and 7, the free-cell optimum for growth and product formation was found to be ca. pH 5. At this pH, the specific growth rate was 0.35 h(-1) and specific ethanol production rate was 2.83 g/g/h. At values higher or lower than pH 5, a sharp decrease in specific ethanol production rate as well as specific growth rate was observed. In comparison, the immobilized cells showed a broad optimum pH profile. The best ethanol production rates were observed between pH 4 and 6.