ETHANOL-PRODUCTION FROM CELLULOSE BY COUPLED SACCHARIFICATION FERMENTATION USING SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE AND CELLULASE COMPLEX FROM SCLEROTIUM-ROLFSII UV-8 MUTANT

Using cellulase/hemicellulase complex of Sclerotium rolfsii UV-8 mutant and Saccharomyces cerevisiae for fermentation, the coupled saccharification/fermentation (CSF) of 15% AT-rice straw was carried out at 40-degrees-C, pH 4.5 for the first 24 h and further incubation was performed at 30-degrees-C for 72 h. Increasing the amount of cellulase activity from 3-12 IU FPA/g of substrate resulted in increased yields of ethanol from 1.5-3.6% in 96 h. It has been observed that the coupled system was advantageous over the two stage (separate hydrolysis/fermentation) system as it produced higher amounts of ethanol from cellulose (3.6% as compared to 2.3% ethanol from rice straw).