Abstract:
Cassava pulp is an agricultural residue from cassava flour manufacturing in industry of Thailand. It can be used as a substrate for ethanol fermentation by using diluted acid hydrolysis combined with steam explosion which can generate inhibitory byproducts including acetic acid, formic acid, levulinic acid, furfural and 5-hydroxy methyl furfural (5-HMF). These compounds have negative effect on yeast growth and fermentation ability. Therefore, the objective of this study was to adapt yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae SC90
to obtain the inhibitor tolerable cells. Adaptation was performed by repeated culture in the same media to a specific growth rate (µ) of 0.22 h¯¹ or higher (80% of the µ in control) and then transferring them to progressively higher concentration of cassava pulp
hydrolysate ranging from 20% to 100% (v/v). The results showed that a tendency of longer lag phase as well as time to reach maximum cell number (tmaxc) with an increase in hydrolysate concentration. However, the repeated culture at the same hydrolysate
concentration could shorten both lag period and tmaxc. The adapted cells were grown in YPD medium containing various mixed inhibitors which is selected from the yeast growth in each of the five inhibitors. The adapted cells showed the tolerant on acetic acid, formic acid, levulinic acid, furfural and 5-HMF more than that of non-adapted cells at the concentration of 67.5, 85, 125, 3.25 and 4.39 mmol/L, respectively. It also showed that the growth and fermentation efficiency of adapted cells in 100% hydrolysate were significantly higher (p≤0.05) than those of non-adapted cells by 38% and 27%, respectively. Moreover, the addition of Ca(OH)₂ (overliming) is an alternative for detoxification in lignocellulose hydrolysate and it can enhance the fermentabillity by yeast. The result showed that the adapted cells can improve both growth and fermentation efficiency of detoxified cassava pulp hydrolysates which is more than those of un-detoxified hydrolysate about 9% and 4%, respectively.