Improved fermentation performance to produce bioethanol from Gelidium amansii using Pichia stipitis adapted to galactose

This study employed a statistical method to obtain optimal hyper thermal acid hydrolysis conditions using Gelidium amansii (red seaweed) as a source of biomass. The optimal hyper thermal acid hydrolysis using G. amansii as biomass was determined as 12% (w/v) slurry content, 358.3 mM H2SO4, and temperature of 142.6 °C for 11 min. After hyper thermal acid hydrolysis, enzymatic saccharification was carried out. The total monosaccharide concentration was 45.1 g/L, 72.2% of the theoretical value of the total fermentable monosaccharides of 62.4 g/L based on 120 g dry weight/L in the G. amansii slurry. To increase ethanol production, 3.8 g/L 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in the hydrolysate was removed by treatment with 3.5% (w/v) activated carbon for 2 min and fermented with Pichia stipitis adapted to high galactose concentrations via separate hydrolysis and fermentation. With complete HMF removal and the use of P. stipitis adapted to high galactose concentrations, 22 g/L ethanol was produced (yield 0.50). Fermentation with total HMF removal and yeast adapted to high galactose concentrations increased the fermentation performance and decreased the fermentation time from 96 to 36 h compared to traditional fermentation.