Bioethanol production by immobilized co-culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Scheffersomyces stipitis in a novel continuous 3D printing microbioreactor

An Acad Bras Cienc. 2024 Sep 23;96(suppl 1):e20230633. doi: 10.1590/0001-3765202420230633. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Biorefineries require low-cost production processes, low waste generation and equipment that can be used not only for a single process, but for the manufacture of several products. In this context, in this research a continuous 3D printing microbioreactor coupled to an Arduino-controlled automatic feeding system was developed for the intensification of the ethanol production process from xylose/xylulose (3:1), using a new biocatalyst containing the co-culture of Scheffersomyces stipitis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (50/50). Initially, batch fermentations of monocultures of S. cerevisiae and S. stipitis and co-culture were carried out. Subsequently, the immobilized co-culture was used as a biocatalyst in continuous fermentations using the developed microreactor. Fermentations carried out in the microbioreactor presented a 2-fold increase in the ethanol concentration and a 3-fold increase in productivity when compared to monocultures. The microbioreactor developed proved to be efficient and can be extended for other bioproducts production. This approach proved to be a promising alternative for the use of the hemicellulose fraction of biomasses without the need to use modified strains.

MeSH terms

  • Bioreactors* / microbiology
  • Coculture Techniques* / methods
  • Ethanol* / metabolism
  • Fermentation*
  • Printing, Three-Dimensional*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae* / metabolism
  • Saccharomycetales* / growth & development
  • Saccharomycetales* / metabolism

Substances

  • Ethanol

Supplementary concepts

  • Scheffersomyces stipitis