Production of ethanol from mission grass

Abstract

Mission grass (Pennisetumpolystachion) is one of the lignocellulosic biomass candidates for the production of bioethanol. After the grass underwent through milling and alkaline pretreatment, it was subjected to acid and enzymatic hydrolysis. Glucose, the source of ethanol fermentation, was obtained after the hydrolysis process. The grass hydrolyzate was overlinied at various pH; and then sodium sulfite was added to remove inhibitory compounds and degradation products such as furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural. Over liming at pH 10 gave the highest ethanol yield. Among various strains of baker’s yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae TISTR 5596 could produce the highest concentration of ethanol at 16 g/1 within 24 h. Yeast population count was studied under a microscope. The change of glucose concentration in the hydrolyzate was detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the production of ethanol was determined using gas chromatography (GC).