BIOETHANOL PRODUCTION FROM CASSAVA PEELS USING (Candida tropicalis AND Pichia caribbica)

Abstract

The studies were conducted on the production f ethanol, isolation and identification of two
yeast strain from Cola acuminata and Zea mays, using spread plate technique. Physiological,
morphological and cultural characteristic of C. tropicalis and P. caribbica were carried out
such as sugar assimilation and fermentation test resulting in the discovery of the yeast
species. Two isolates belonging to different genera which include Candida tropicalis and
Pichia caribbica were used for the fermentation of a particular substrate (cassava peels). The
pretreatment of the cassava peels was carried out by chemical hydrolysis followed by the
process of distillation of water and ethanol mixture. It was discovered that Pichia caribbica
have higher ethanol yield 14.8% in (100g) of substrate of cassava peels than Candida
tropicalis which have ethanol yield 10.2% in the same (100g) used for both fermentation. The
proximate and elemental analysis of the cassava peel revealed high tendency of ethanol
production based on the values obtained. Hence this study indicates that cassava peels can be
a good feedstock for sustainable bioethanol production.