Production of ethanol from mesquite ( Prosopis juliflora (SW) D.C.) pods mash by Zymomonas mobilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

• Published in: Electronic Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 13; no. 5
• Main Authors: da Silva, Celiane Gomes Maia, Stamford, Tânia Lúcia Montenegro, de Andrade, Samara Alvachian Cardoso, de Souza, Evandro Leite, de Araújo, Janete Magali
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad Católica de Valparaíso 05-04-2011
• Subjects: ethanol, mesquite, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Zymomonas mobilis
• ISSN: 0717-3458; 0717-3458

This study aimed to assess the use of mesquite pods hydrated mash as
biomass for the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae UFEPEDA-1012 and
Zymomonas mobilis UFEPEDA-205 and for ethanol production using a
submerged fermentation. A 23 factorial design was used to analyze the
effects of the type of microorganism, time of fermentation and
condition of cultivation on the ethanol production in mesquite pods
mash (30 g 100 mL-1). From the obtained results the hydrated mesquite
pods mash presented as a good substrate for the growth of S. cerevisiae
and Z. mobilis in comparison to the standard media. The effect that
most affected the ethanol production was the type of microorganism. The
highest ethanol concentration (141.1 gL-1) was found when Z. mobilis
was cultivated in mesquite pods mash under static condition for 36 hrs.
Ethanol production by S. cerevisiae was higher (44.32 gL-1) after 18
hrs of fermentation under static condition. According to these results,
the mesquite pods could be known as an alternative substrate to be used
for biotechnological purposes, mainly for ethanol production.