ARS | Publication request: Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of pretreated wheat straw to fuel ethanol using a recombinant bacterium for improved efficiency

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 29, 2012
Publication Date: April 3, 2012
Citation: Saha, B.C., Cotta, M.A. 2012. Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of pretreated wheat straw to fuel ethanol using a recombinant bacterium for improved efficiency [abstract]. American Chemical Society. Paper No. CELL 286.

Technical Abstract: Typically four process steps are involved in the production of fuel ethanol from any lignocellulosic feedstock – pretreatment, enzymatic saccharification, fermentation, and ethanol recovery. Integration of two or more steps is important for lowering the ethanol production cost from lignocellulose. Moreover, any lignocellulosic biomass, upon enzymatic hydrolysis, generates a mixture of sugars. The utilization of all sugars is important for improving the economics. In this presentation, we will present our recent research results of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of wheat straw (WS) using a mixed sugar utilizing ethanologenic recombinant bacterium. Our data demonstrate that SSF offers distinct advantages over separate hydrolysis and fermentation with respect to reduction of total time by 39% and enzyme dose level by 4 fold required to produce ethanol from WS. We will also show that we can produce above 4% ethanol from WS by the bacterium which is considered economical for ethanol recovery by distillation.