SISTLA SRINIVAS, R.S. PRAKASAM AND RN. SARMA
Abstract
Clavispora opuntiae* 1605 ferments D-Xylose to ethanol under aerobic conditions. Clavispora opuntiae* 1605 was grown in a medium containing 3.6% (w/v) D-xylose in sugarcane molasses (carbon source) and 0.5% (w/v) yeast extract in a batch fermentation mode, and the following results were obtained: ethanol yield coefficient (ethanol/D-Xylose) 0.22 g/g; maximum ethanol concentration 8.0 g/lit; Maximum volumetric ethanol Productivity, 0.1 g/lit/hr; Theoretical yield of ethanol, 57 °/0; The per cent conversion of xylose to ethanol is 22.2°/0; cell yield coefficient (Dry biomass/xylose), 0.18 g/g; Maximum D-Xylose uptake, 0.45 g/lit/hr. The sugarcane molasses contain fermentable and unfermentable sugars, of which D-glucose and Dxylose are major components respectively (Aristidou. A and Penttila. M, 2000). The economic