Global Advanced Research Journal of Biotechnology (GARJB)

August  2015 Vol. 4(1), pp 023-029

Copyright © 2015 Global Advanced Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper 

Ethanol Production from Fresh and Dry Water Hyacinth Using Ruminant Microorganisms and Ethanol Producers.

Sambo S¹ Faruk UZ² and Shahida AA³

¹ Department of Biology, Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto

²Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

³ Department of Microbiology, Sokoto State University, Sokoto. Nigeria

Corresponding author Email: sadiyasambo89@gmail.com

Accepted 23 August, 2015

Abstract

An investigation into the use of Echhornia crassipes (fresh and dried), as possible alternative and cost effective for the production of ethanol was carried out using microorganisms isolated from ruminants (ram, cow, and goat). The bacteria isolated include species of Bacteroides (17.39%), Streptococcus (8.69%), Yersinia (8.69%),  Lactobacillus (4.3%), Peptococcus (4.3%), Clostridium (4.3%), Nesseria (4.3%), Alcaligenes (4.3%), Staphylococcus (4.7%), Veillonella (8.69%), and Bacillus (13.0%), While the fungi isolated were Aspergillus fumigatus (64%), Aspergillus flavus (11%), Candida  guilliermondii (9%), and Scoploriopsis Candida (16%). Based on their capability to breakdown the cellulose in E. crassipes, Bacterodes succinogenes  yielded the highest concentration of reducing sugar from fresh E. crassipes (9.7mmol/L) Bacteroides convexus yielded (7.8mmol/L) for dried E. crassipes. Bacteroides ovatus also had a significant production of reducing sugar from both fresh and dried E.crassipes. The least production was from Aspagillus species, Clostridium and neiseseria for dried and fresh E. crassipes respectively. Comparative fermentation of the hydrolysates was examined using Saccharomyses cerevisiae and Zymomonas mobilis, those were done separately and the fermented substrates were distlled, Zymomonas mobilis produced more ethanol than Saccharomyses cerevisiae, fresh E. crassipes produced more ethanol than the dried one. The use of E. cassipes for production of ethanol will go a long way in reducing dependence on fossil fuel. However, further investigation is recommended.

Keywords: Ethanol, Water Hyacinth, Ruminant Microorganisms and Cellulose

Download Full Text - PDF