Red oak wood derived inhibitors in the ethanol fermentation of xylose byPichia stipitis CBS 5776

Summary Xylose, the predominant sugar in red oak prehydrolysate, is fermented to ethanol byPichia stipitis CBS 5776. Toxic model compounds derived from red oak hemicelluloses, lignin, and extractives inhibited the fermentation. Treatment of the prehydrolysate with molecular sieve and mixed bed ion resins facilitated the ethanol fermentation giving about 10 g/l ethanol from 32 g/l initial xylose. Fermentation inhibitors derived from red oak lignin and extractives were identified.