CONVERSION OF CELLOBIOSE AND XYLOSE TO ETHANOL BY IMMOBILIZED GROWING-CELLS OF CLOSTRIDIUM-SACCHAROLYTICUM ON CHARCOAL SUPPORT

An immobilization technique was developed for the conversion of cellobiose and xylose to ethanol, which may be considered as one stage of a process for the conversion of cellulosic biomass to ethanol. Relatively inexpensive charcoal was used as a support material, with 23 mg dry wt of C. saccharolyticum cells/g dry wt of support. Tests were run for 170 h at 0.15 l/h dilution rate. From a 3% (wt/vol) sugar mixture, 0.7% (wt/vol) ethanol was obtained with over 97% cellobiose and 62% xylose utilization.