Bioethanol Production by Immobilized Enterobacter Cloacae using Different Matrices

Biofuels can be produced through the bioconversion of lignocellulosic substrates, which are derived from sustainable and renewable resources. One such biofuel, bioethanol, stands out as a viable alternative for transportation fuel, offering a sustainable approach to address the challenges posed by fossil fuels. The present study aimed to investigate the immobilization of Enterobacter cloacae cells for bioethanol production from rice husk hydrolysates. For this purpose, the biocompatible carriers such as Calcium alginate and activated charcoal beads were used for immobilization. The parameters of bioethanol fermentation, such as the incubation period in different carriers and the choice of a convenient carrier for efficient ethanol production were studied. The maximum bioethanol production of 10.8% was obtained in the 24 hour of the incubation period, with Enterobacter cloacae immobilized in Ca-alginate using a droplet method. However, after the second fermentation cycle, Calcium alginate beads got degraded and resulted in lower bioethanol production. The Enterobacter cloacae immobilized on activated charcoal also showed better production at 48 hour of 9.15% as compared to free cells (8.03%).