Feasibility of ethanol production with enhanced sugar concentration in bagasse hydrolysate at high temperature using Kluyveromyces sp. IIPE453

Background: Ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass and nonfood sources has caught worldwide attention because of its potential use as an alternative automotive fuel. Results: In batch fermentation using Kluyveromyces sp. IIPE453 at 50 degrees C on bagasse hydrolysate containing total fermenting sugar concentration 35 +/- 1.9 g l(-1), the strain could produce ethanol concentration 14.5 +/- 0.2 g l(-1) with ethanol productivity 0.71 +/- 0.001 g l(-1) h(-1) as compared with sugarcane juice 2 +/- 0.04 g l(-1) h(-1), molasses 2.6 +/- 0.05 g l(-1) h(-1) and mahua flower extract 3.4 +/- 0.06 g l(-1) h(-1). In addition, the fermentation was carried out with enhanced sugar concentration in bagasse hydrolysate by mixing sugarcane juice, molasses and extract of mahua flowers. The ethanol productivities upon mixture of bagasse hydrolysate with sugarcane juice, molasses and extract of mahua flowers were 1.7 +/- 0.06 g l(-1) h(-1), 1.75 +/- 0.03 g l(-1) h(-1) and 2.57 +/- 0.1 g l(-1) h(-1), respectively. Conclusion: The ethanol productivity could be increased by enhancing sugar concentration in bagasse hydrolysate. The product inhibition could be minimized by in situ ethanol recovery at high temperature.