Bioconversion of plant biomass to ethanol. Final report, 15 December 1976-31 December 1978

Technical Report · Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5141284· OSTI ID:5141284

Brooks, R. E.; Su, T. M.; Brennan, Jr., M. J.; Frick, J.; Lynch, M.

Two approaches to ethanol production via thermophilic mixed culture fermentation of pretreated wood were investigated. The initial studies of wood biodelignification by Chrysosporium pruinosum and subsequent mixed culture fermentation to ethanol using a cellulolytic strain of sporocytophaga and a strain of Bacillus stearothermophilus proved to be premature for a development effort. Studies of the fermentation of SO/sub 2//steam-treated poplar by a mixed culture of C. thermocellum and C. thermosaccharolyticum were, however, technically and economically promising. Wood pretreatment to enhance microbial utilization, the microbiology and biochemistry of pure and mixed culture fermentation of cellulose by C. thermocellum and C. thermocellum and C. thermosaccharolyticum, and techniques for improving ethanol tolerance and yield were investigated. Considerable progress in overcoming the technical barriers to efficient ethanol production from wood have been demonstrated; however, additional studies and development work are required before technical feasibility can be established.

• Research Organization: General Electric Co., Schenectady, NY (USA). Corporate Research and Development Dept.
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-77ET20016
• OSTI ID: 5141284
• Report Number(s): COO-4147-7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ETHANOL
BIOSYNTHESIS
WOOD
ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS
FERMENTATION
HEAT TREATMENTS
BACTERIA
CELLULASES
CHEMICAL REACTION YIELD
CLOSTRIDIUM THERMOCELLUM
DIAGRAMS
GROWTH
STEAM
SULFUR DIOXIDE
ALCOHOLS
BIOCONVERSION
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CLOSTRIDIUM
DECOMPOSITION
ENZYMES
HYDROLASES
HYDROLYSIS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LYSIS
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SOLVOLYSIS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
SYNTHESIS
YIELDS
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