ETHANOL PRODUCTION FROM MAIZE COBS AND PLANTAIN PEELS BY EAST SPECIES

A. M. Ebabhi; A. A. Adekunle, A. A. Osuntoki W. O. Okunowo

A. M. Ebabhi
A. A. Adekunle, A. A. Osuntoki W. O. Okunowo

Keywords: Agro-waste, bioethanol, natural acid, pichia caribbica, Kluyveromyces marxianus

Abstract

Maize cob and plantain peels (agro-waste) were chemically evaluated to explore their potential application in bioethanol production. The proximate composition of maize cob was 7.7% moisture, 4.0% protein, 1.2% lipid, 2.4% ash and 57.5% cellulose.

The total dietary fibre content was 26.87%. for the plantain peel there was 11.1% and 41.6% respectively. Pretreatment and natural acid saccharification was done using Anacardium occidentale nut shell extract. Result showed maximum reducing sugar yield of 93mg/g and 260mg/g for the maize cob and plantain peel respectively.

Bioethanol produced was higher in maize cob (26.353.80g/L) at 72hr of incubation using pichia caribbica (IMI398400) and higher in plantain peel (16.271.01) with Kluyveromyces marxianus (IMI 398399). The present study revealed that the fermentation of hydrolysates obtained from the pretreatment and natural acid saccharification was found to be best for higher ethanol production at optimized conditions.

Author Biographies

A. M. Ebabhi

Department of Botany, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State, Nigeria,

Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria.

A. A. Adekunle, A. A. Osuntoki W. O. Okunowo

Department of Botany, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State, Nigeria,

Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria.