2nd Generation Ethanol by Zygomycetes Fungi at Elevated Temperature

Seven zygomycetes tempe isolates were screened for ethanol production at 40oC, 45oC, 50oC. All the isolates were able to produce ethanol at 40oC with the yields of 0.39-0.47 g/g on glucose and three isolates were able to produce ethanol at 45oC with the yields of 0.22-0.26 g/g on glucose. No isolate could grow and produce ethanol at 50oC. One isolate was selected and used for ethanol production from untreated and fungal-pretreated oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB), untreated and fungal-pretreated oat straw as well as Avicel by non-isothermal simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (NSSF). This NSSF included hydrolysis with cellulase and β-glucosidase for 24 h at 45oC, followed by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation using the selected isolate at 40oC for 96 h. The NSSF of untreated and fungal-pretreated OPEFB, untreated and fungal-pretreated oat straw, and Avicel resulted in 14.10%, 14.25%, 27.28%, 49.88%, and 63.77% ethanol compared to the theoretical yield.