Ethanol production from corn cobs by co-culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus niger

Abstract

Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus niger were used in a co-culture for the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of 1% and 10% (w/v) dry pre-treated corn cobs to ethanol. Positive controls of glucose of same concentrations in a synthetic medium were also fermented. At 1% substrate concentration, the complex medium containing corn cobs had a maximum ethanol yield of 4.17%, while the synthetic medium with glucose gave 3.45%. At a higher concentration of 10% the synthetic medium gave a yield of 6.23% which is comparable to 6.17% by the complex medium. Residual sugar concentration was observed to decrease with increase in ethanol production and cell growth increased with time of fermentation.

Keywords: Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus niger, corn cobs, glucose, ethanol.