Study of a new alternative method of deflocculation of S. cerevisiae cells by immobilized enzymes to produce fuel ethanol

• Grant number: 18/21659-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2018
• End date: November 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Pedro de Oliva Neto
• Grantee: Gustavo Husein
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The flocculation of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae represents a major problem for the production of ethanol fuel, leading to the reduction of alcoholic efficiency and the increase of the cost of its production due to the loss of cells in the centrifuge and increase of infecting bacteria. Currently, the acid treatment is used to control this problem, but this causes other problems in the yeast and process. In view of these aspects, the present project aims to develop a new technique using commercial protease immobilized in a matrix of chitosan, alginate, and latéx aiming the application for the deflocculation of the yeast in a Fixed Bed Reactor. The immobilization will be performed by the entrapment method in a gelatinous matrix formed by the cited products. The pellets formed will be packaged in a Fixed Bed reactor, where the feed will be made with flocculated yeast aiming the cellular deflocculation along the reactor. Cellular deflocculation will be quantified by turbidimetry. Finally, the technical parameters necessary for future scaling of this technology and application in the ethanol fuel industry will be calculated.