Uptake of iron by yeast cells and its impact on biomass production

Abstract

Procedures for the production of Saccharomyces cerevisiae biomass enriched with iron and the effects of the iron ions addition into the molasses medium on the yeast growth and the production of ethanol were studied. The growth of the yeast S. cerevisiae and the ethanol production in media with different concentrations of Fe were monitored in the batch process under semiaerobic and anaerobic conditions. The highest biomass concentration and ethanol production were achieved in the medium with 0.6-0.8 g l-1 of Fe under both (semiaerobic and anaerobic) conditions. Kinetics of the iron ions accumulation in yeast cells during 24 h of growth in the batch process under semiaerobic and anaerobic conditions were monitored. In anaerobic conditions the maximum uptake (10 mg g-1 d.m. yeast biomass) was obtained after 12 h of fermentation, while in semiaerobic conditions a four times lower uptake (2.5 mg g-1 d.m. yeast biomass) was obtained after 16 h of fermentation.