A microwave-assisted liquefaction as a pretreatment for the bioethanol production by the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of corn meal

Abstract

A microwave-assisted liquefaction as a pretreatment for the bioethanol production by the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of corn meal using Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. ellipsoideus yeast in a batch system was studied. An optimal power of microwaves of 80 W and the 5-min duration of the microwave treatment were selected by following the concentration of glucose released from the corn meal suspensions at hidromodul of 1:3 (corn meal to water ratio) in the liquefaction step. The results indicated that the microwave pretreatment could increase the maximum ethanol concentration produced in the SSF process for 13.4 %. Consequently, a significant increase of the ethanol productivity on substrate (YP/S), as well as the volumetric ethanol productivity (P) in this process, could be achieved.