Biofuels are an important alternative, renewable source of energy in the face of the ongoing depletion of fossil fuels. Cheese whey is a dairy industry waste characterized by high lactose concentration, which represents a significant environmental problem. Bio-ethanol production by cheese whey could be an effective nonvegetable source for renewable energy production. Here, we report the isolation of a mixed microbial population, able to produce ethanol as main fermentation product from fermenting whey. The microbial consortium has been used to perform a batch fermentation of crude whey in both anoxic and hypoxic conditions. Maximum ethanol concentrations achieved in this study was obtained using the mixed culture in hypoxic conditions, grown at pH 4 and 30◦C, with ethanol production yield of 60 g/L. Our research has pointed out an alternative way to both dispose and valorize cheese whey, a dairy by-product that could cause water pollution and harm to the environment if not properly treated.

Genetic structure of a novel biofuel-producing microorganism community / De Felice, B.; Blasi, V. O.; DE CASTRO, Olga; Cennamo, P.; Martino, L.; Trifuoggi, Marco; Condorelli, V.; Di Onofrio, V.; Guida, Marco. - In: JOURNAL OF GENETICS. - ISSN 0022-1333. - 91:2(2012), pp. 183-191. [10.1007/s12041-012-0173-3]

Genetic structure of a novel biofuel-producing microorganism community.

DE CASTRO, OLGA;TRIFUOGGI, MARCO;GUIDA, MARCO
2012

Abstract

Biofuels are an important alternative, renewable source of energy in the face of the ongoing depletion of fossil fuels. Cheese whey is a dairy industry waste characterized by high lactose concentration, which represents a significant environmental problem. Bio-ethanol production by cheese whey could be an effective nonvegetable source for renewable energy production. Here, we report the isolation of a mixed microbial population, able to produce ethanol as main fermentation product from fermenting whey. The microbial consortium has been used to perform a batch fermentation of crude whey in both anoxic and hypoxic conditions. Maximum ethanol concentrations achieved in this study was obtained using the mixed culture in hypoxic conditions, grown at pH 4 and 30◦C, with ethanol production yield of 60 g/L. Our research has pointed out an alternative way to both dispose and valorize cheese whey, a dairy by-product that could cause water pollution and harm to the environment if not properly treated.
2012
Genetic structure of a novel biofuel-producing microorganism community / De Felice, B.; Blasi, V. O.; DE CASTRO, Olga; Cennamo, P.; Martino, L.; Trifuoggi, Marco; Condorelli, V.; Di Onofrio, V.; Guida, Marco. - In: JOURNAL OF GENETICS. - ISSN 0022-1333. - 91:2(2012), pp. 183-191. [10.1007/s12041-012-0173-3]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11588/370310
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