Assessment of the detoxification of palm kernel cake hydrolysate for butanol production by Clostridium acetobutylicum YM1

Fermenting palm kernel cake (PKC) hydrolysate using C.acetobutylicum YM1 produces butanol. Firstly, PKC is exposed to acid pretreatment to release fermentable sugars. Besides sugar, PKC hydrolysate consists of a mixture of microbial inhibitors. Sulfuric acid-treated PKC (2% SAPKC) released 30 g/L of reducing sugars. The concentration of microbial inhibitors are measured and two decontamination techniques namely overliming and activated charcoal are used and studied for their effectiveness in decreasing the microbial inhibitors and thereby increase the production of butanol. The activated charcoal detoxification technique produced good results in decreasing furan aldehydes compounds compared to overliming method. Even though overliming method decreased the inhibitory elements, the end amount of butanol produced is comparatively lower than the non-detoxified SAPKC. Activated charcoal technique increased productivity and yield of acetone, butanol, and ethanol (ABE).