Continuous ethanol production from concentrated wood hydrolysates in an internal membrane-filtration bioreactor

An overview on fermentation strategies to overcome lignocellulosic inhibitors in second-generation ethanol production using cell immobilization

The development of technologies to ferment carbohydrates (mainly glucose and xylose) obtained from the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass for the production of second-generation ethanol (2G ethanol) has many economic and environmental advantages. The pretreatment step of this biomass is industrially performed mainly by steam explosion with diluted sulfuric acid and generates hydrolysates that contain inhibitory compounds for the metabolism of microorganisms, harming the next step of ethanol production. The main inhibitors are: organic acids, furan, and phenolics. Several strategies can be applied to decrease the action of these compounds in microorganisms, such as cell immobilization. Based on data published in the literature, this overview will address the relevant aspects of cell immobilization for the production of 2G ethanol, aiming to evaluate this method as a strategy for protecting microorganisms against inhibitors in different modes of operation for fermentation. This is the first overview to date that shows the relation between inhibitors, cells immobilization, and fermentation operation modes for 2G ethanol. In this sense, the state of the art regarding the main inhibitors in 2G ethanol and the most applied techniques for cell immobilization, besides batch, repeated batch and continuous fermentation using immobilized cells, in addition to co-culture immobilization and co-immobilization of enzymes, are presented in this work.

Lignocellulosic bioethanol production: prospects of emerging membrane technologies to improve the process – a critical review

To meet the worldwide rapid growth of industrialization and population, the demand for the production of bioethanol as an alternative green biofuel is gaining significant prominence. The bioethanol production process is still considered one of the largest energy-consuming processes and is challenging due to the limited effectiveness of conventional pretreatment processes, saccharification processes, and extreme use of electricity in common fermentation and purification processes. Thus, it became necessary to improve the bioethanol production process through reduced energy requirements. Membrane-based separation technologies have already gained attention due to their reduced energy requirements, investment in lower labor costs, lower space requirements, and wide flexibility in operations. For the selective conversion of biomasses to bioethanol, membrane bioreactors are specifically well suited. Advanced membrane-integrated processes can effectively contribute to different stages of bioethanol production processes, including enzymatic saccharification, concentrating feed solutions for fermentation, improving pretreatment processes, and finally purification processes. Advanced membrane-integrated simultaneous saccharification, filtration, and fermentation strategies consisting of ultrafiltration-based enzyme recycle system with nanofiltration-based high-density cell recycle fermentation system or the combination of high-density cell recycle fermentation system with membrane pervaporation or distillation can definitely contribute to the development of the most efficient and economically sustainable second-generation bioethanol production process.

Conversion of steam-exploded cedar into ethanol using simultaneous saccharification, fermentation and detoxification process

In this study, we investigated the simultaneous saccharification, fermentation and detoxification SSDF process of steam-exploded cedar using a detoxification microorganism, Ureibacillus thermosphaericus A1, to facilitate efficient ethanol production. Steam explosion was applied as a pretreatment before enzymatic saccharification followed by alcohol fermentation. The highest glucose conversion rate was observed in the sample pretreated with a steam pressure of 45atm for 5min. Alcohol production by a heat-tolerant yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae BA11, was inhibited strongly by inhibitory materials present in the steam-exploded cedar, such as formic acid, furfural, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. The maximum amount of ethanol, i.e., 0.155g ethanol/g dry steam-exploded cedar, which corresponded to 74% of the theoretical ethanol yield, was obtained using the SSDF when U. thermosphaericus A1 degraded the inhibitory materials. A fed batch SSDF culture, in which U. thermosphaericus A1 was used to maintain low concentrations of inhibitory materials, was effective for increasing the ethanol concentration.

Fermentation of lignocellulosic hydrolyzate using a submerged membrane bioreactor at high dilution rates

A submerged membrane bioreactor (sMBR) was developed to ferment toxic lignocellulosic hydrolyzate to ethanol. The sMBR achieved high cell density of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during continuous cultivation of the hydrolyzate by completely retaining all yeast cells inside the sMBR. The performance of the sMBR was evaluated based on the ethanol yield and productivity at the dilution rates 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8h(-1) with the increase of dilution rate. Results show that the yeast in the sMBR was able to ferment the wood hydrolyzate even at high dilution rates, attaining a maximum volumetric ethanol productivity of 7.94 ± 0.10 g L(-1)h(-1) at a dilution rate of 0.8h(-1). Ethanol yields were stable at 0.44 ± 0.02 g g(-1) during all the tested dilution rates, and the ethanol productivity increased from 2.16 ± 0.15 to 7.94 ± 0.10 g L(-1)h(-1). The developed sMBR systems running at high yeast density demonstrate a potential for a rapid and productive ethanol production from wood hydrolyzate.

Membrane bioreactors' potential for ethanol and biogas production: a review

Companies developing and producing membranes for different separation purposes, as well as the market for these, have markedly increased in numbers over the last decade. Membrane and separation technology might well contribute to making fuel ethanol and biogas production from lignocellulosic materials more economically viable and productive. Combining biological processes with membrane separation techniques in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) increases cell concentrations extensively in the bioreactor. Such a combination furthermore reduces product inhibition during the biological process, increases product concentration and productivity, and simplifies the separation of product and/or cells. Various MBRs have been studied over the years, where the membrane is either submerged inside the liquid to be filtered, or placed in an external loop outside the bioreactor. All configurations have advantages and drawbacks, as reviewed in this paper. The current review presents an account of the membrane separation technologies, and the research performed on MBRs, focusing on ethanol and biogas production. The advantages and potentials of the technology are elucidated.

Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates by Burkholderia cepacia ATCC 17759 using a detoxified sugar maple hemicellulosic hydrolysate

Sugar maple hemicellulosic hydrolysate containing 71.9 g/l of xylose was used as an inexpensive feedstock to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) by Burkholderia cepacia ATCC 17759. Several inhibitory compounds present in wood hydrolysate were analyzed for effects on cell growth and PHA production with strong inhibition observed at concentrations of 1 g/l furfural, 2 g/l vanillin, 7 g/l levulinic acid, and 1 M acetic acid. Gradual catabolism of lower concentrations of these inhibitors was observed in this study. To increase the fermentability of wood hydrolysate, several detoxification methods were tested. Overliming combined with low-temperature sterilization resulted in the highest removal of total inhibitory phenolics (65%). A fed-batch fermentation exhibited maximum PHA production after 96 h (8.72 g PHA/L broth and 51.4% of dry cell weight). Compositional analysis by NMR and physical–chemical characterization showed that PHA produced from wood hydrolysate was composed of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) with a molecular mass (M  N) of 450.8 kDa, a melting temperature (T  m) of 174.4°C, a glass transition temperature (T  g) of 7.31°C, and a decomposition temperature (T  decomp) of 268.6°C.

Characterization of the steam-exploded spent Shiitake mushroom medium and its efficient conversion to ethanol

Spent Shiitake mushroom medium was subjected to steam explosion followed by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) using Meicelase and Saccahromyces cerevisiae AM12. Water extraction of the medium exposed to steam at 20 atm for 5 min enhanced the saccharification rate by about 20% compared to steam-exploded medium before water extraction and resulted in the production of 23.8 g/l ethanol from a substrate concentration of 100g/l. This corresponded to 87.6% of the theoretical ethanol yield, i.e., 15.9 g ethanol was obtained from 100g of spent Shiitake mushroom medium. Spent Shiitake mushroom medium subjected to steam explosion and then water extraction appears to be a candidate for efficient bioconversion to ethanol.

Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of lignocellulosic residues pretreated with phosphoric acid-acetone for bioethanol production

Bermudagrass, reed and rapeseed were pretreated with phosphoric acid-acetone and used for ethanol production by means of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) with a batch and fed-batch mode. When the batch SSF experiments were conducted in a 3% low effective cellulose, about 16 g/L of ethanol were obtained after 96 h of fermentation. When batch SSF experiments were conducted with a higher cellulose content (10% effective cellulose for reed and bermudagrass and 5% for rapeseed), higher ethanol concentrations and yields (of more than 93%) were obtained. The fed-batch SSF strategy was adopted to increase the ethanol concentration further. When a higher water-insoluble solid (up to 36%) was applied, the ethanol concentration reached 56 g/L of an inhibitory concentration of the yeast strain used in this study at 38 degrees C. The results show that the pretreated materials can be used as good feedstocks for bioethanol production, and that the phosphoric acid-acetone pretreatment can effectively yield a higher ethanol concentration.

Continuous Fermentation of Undetoxified Dilute Acid Lignocellulose Hydrolysate by Saccharomycescerevisiae ATCC 96581 Using Cell Recirculation

Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 96581 was cultivated in a chemostat reactor with undetoxified dilute acid softwood hydrolysate as the only carbon and energy source. The effects of nutrient addition, dilution rate, cell recirculation, and microaerobicity were investigated. Fermentation of unsupplemented dilute acid lignocellulose hydrolysate at D = 0.10 h(-1) in an anaerobic continuous reactor led to washout. Addition of ammonium sulfate or yeast extract was insufficient for obtaining steady state. In contrast, dilute acid lignocellulose hydrolysate supplemented with complete mineral medium, except for the carbon and energy source, was fermentable under anaerobic steady-state conditions at dilution rates up to 0.14 h(-1). Under these conditions, washout occurred at D = 0.15 h(-1). This was preceded by a drop in fermentative capacity and a very high specific ethanol production rate. Growth at all different dilution rates tested resulted in residual sugar in the chemostat. Cell recirculation (90%), achieved by cross-flow filtration, increased the sugar conversion rate from 92% to 99% at D = 0.10 h(-1). Nutrient addition clearly improved the long-term ethanol productivity in the recirculation cultures. Application of microaerobic conditions on the nutrient-supplemented recirculation cultures resulted in a higher production of biomass, a higher cellular protein content, and improved fermentative capacity, which further improves the robustness of fermentation of undetoxified lignocellulose hydrolysate.

Continuous fermentation of wheat-supplemented lignocellulose hydrolysate with different types of cell retention

Medium supplementation and process alternatives for fuel ethanol production from dilute acid lignocellulose hydrolysate were investigated. Dilute acid lignocellulose hydrolysate supplemented with enzymatically hydrolysed wheat flour could sustain continuous anaerobic cultivation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 96581 if further supplemented with ammonium sulphate and biotin. This medium composition allowed for a hexose utilisation of 73% and an ethanol production of 36 mmol l(-1) h(-1) in chemostat cultivation at dilution rate 0.10 h(-1). Three different methods for cell retention were compared for improved fermentation of supplemented lignocellulose hydrolysate: cell recirculation by filtration, cell recirculation by sedimentation and cell immobilisation in calcium alginate. All three cell retention methods improved the hexose conversion and increased the volumetric ethanol production rate. Recirculation of 75% of the bioreactor outlet flow by filtration improved the hexose utilisation from 76% to 94%. Sedimentation turned out to be an efficient method for cell separation; the cell concentration in the reactor was 32 times higher than in the outflow after 60 h of substrate feeding. However, chemostat and continuous cell recirculation cultures became severely inhibited when the dilution rate was increased to 0.20 h(-1). In contrast, an immobilised system kept producing ethanol at a stable level also at dilution rate 0.30 h(-1).

Fuel ethanol production: process design trends and integration opportunities

Current fuel ethanol research and development deals with process engineering trends for improving biotechnological production of ethanol. In this work, the key role that process design plays during the development of cost-effective technologies is recognized through the analysis of major trends in process synthesis, modeling, simulation and optimization related to ethanol production. Main directions in techno-economical evaluation of fuel ethanol processes are described as well as some prospecting configurations. The most promising alternatives for compensating ethanol production costs by the generation of valuable co-products are analyzed. Opportunities for integration of fuel ethanol production processes and their implications are underlined. Main ways of process intensification through reaction-reaction, reaction-separation and separation-separation processes are analyzed in the case of bioethanol production. Some examples of energy integration during ethanol production are also highlighted. Finally, some concluding considerations on current and future research tendencies in fuel ethanol production regarding process design and integration are presented.