Acid and enzymatic hydrolysis of banana peels for ethanol production by Pachysolen tannophilus

• Grant number: 14/26872-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2015
• End date: August 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Crispin Humberto Garcia Cruz
• Grantee: Amanda Alves Lopes
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José do Rio Preto. São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The strong dependence on non-renewable and highly pollutants energy sources such as petroleum and its products have led the society to search for alternatives to the use of renewable fuels, with great emphasis on the production of ethanol. Current researches indicate the production of ethanol fuel from waste biomass lignocellulosic as an emerging technology. Brazil stands out as one of the greatest agricultural producers; thus, large amounts of waste is produced, which could be converted to ethanol. In this context, the aim of this work is to study the production of ethanol by the Pachysolen tannophilus yeast from hydrolyzed banana peels. The banana peels will be subjected to acid and enzymatic hydrolysis and subsequent detoxification to reduce inhibitor compounds. The effects of initial pH of the fermentation medium and the concentration of the substrate to produce ethanol will be evaluated. Therefore, we seek an alternative to the production of fuel, also adding value in this type of abundant biomass in Brazil.