IDENTIFICATION OF AROMATIC MONOMERS IN STEAM-EXPLODED POPLAR AND THEIR INFLUENCES ON ETHANOL FERMENTATION BY SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE

Aromatic monomers in steam-exploded poplar were quantitatively analyzed and their influences on ethanol fermentation by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were studied. Most of the compounds inhibited the fermentation but the degree of inhibition greatly depended on the functional groups attached to the benzene ring. Their inhibitory values were estimated as follows: CH=CH: +3.0, CHO: +1.5, p-OH: +1.0, COOH: +0.5, m-OH: 0, OCH3: -1.0.