Production of bioethanol from wheat straw via optimization of co-culture conditions of Bacillus licheniformis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract

Bioethanol production has been a challenge for the researchers with respect to enhancing the bioethanol yield. In this study, we are reporting an efficient novel method to produce bioethanol. The process comprises co-culture technique to produce bioethanol from wheat straw, by co-culturing Bacillus licheniformis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation allows wheat straw hydrolysis by cellulase enzyme produced by Bacillus licheniformis and conversion of produced reducing sugar into ethanol by Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Pre-treatment of wheat straw and optimization of co-culturing parameters like, time, pH, substrate concentrations and nitrogen source concentrations gave a net yield of ⁓ 4.11 g/l bioethanol. Scale up of optimised media to fermenter has resulted in a significant enhancement of bioethanol production to ⁓ 14.70 g/l.