Second-generation ethanol production from steam exploded barley straw by Kluyveromyces marxianus CECT 10875

Results show that endo-xylanases improved glucan conversion and ethanol yield compared with a standard enzymatic mixture, markedly at low substrate concentration. The positive effect of added xylanase was most evident at early stages of enzymatic hydrolysis. Regarding process configurations for the period of 72 h, SSF with endo-xylanases provided the best ethanol yield, nearly 70%, for 10% WIS. Nonetheless, the higher ethanol concentration, 29.4 g/l, was obtained at 15% WIS.