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Utilization of microwave and ultrasound pretreatments in the production of bioethanol from corn

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Abstract

Bioethanol production by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of corn meal by Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. ellipsoideus yeast in a batch system with prior ultrasound or microwave treatment was studied. The optimal duration of the pretreatments and the SSF process kinetics were assessed and determined. Also, the effect of ultrasound and microwave pretreatments on ethanol yield and productivity was investigated. An optimal duration of 5 min was determined for both pretreatments. Ultrasonic and microwave pretreatments effectively increased the glucose concentration obtained after liquefaction by 6.82 and 8.48%, respectively, compared to untreated control sample. Also, both pretreatments improved ethanol yield and productivity during the SSF process. Ultrasound and microwave pretreatments increased the maximum ethanol concentration produced in the SSF process by 11.15 and 13.40% (compared to the control sample), respectively. The application of microwave pretreatment resulted in higher glucose release during liquefaction and consequently in higher ethanol concentration, compared to ultrasound pretreatment. A maximum ethanol concentration of 9.91% (w/w) and percentage of theoretical ethanol yield of 92.27% were achieved after 44 h of the SSF process of corn meal with prior microwave treatment.

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Acknowledgment

This work was funded by the Serbian Ministry of Science and Environmental Protection (TR 31017).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Karnegijeva 4, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia

    Svetlana Nikolić, Ljiljana Mojović & Marica Rakin

  2. Faculty of Technology, University of Novi Sad, Bulevar Cara Lazara 1, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia

    Dušanka Pejin & Jelena Pejin

Authors
  1. Svetlana Nikolić
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  2. Ljiljana Mojović
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  3. Marica Rakin
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  4. Dušanka Pejin
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  5. Jelena Pejin
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Correspondence to Svetlana Nikolić.

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Nikolić, S., Mojović, L., Rakin, M. et al. Utilization of microwave and ultrasound pretreatments in the production of bioethanol from corn. Clean Techn Environ Policy 13, 587–594 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-011-0366-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-011-0366-0

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