Saccharification of Kans grass using enzyme mixture from Trichoderma reesei for bioethanol production

Bioethanol is one of the alternatives of the conventional fossil fuel. In present study, effect of different carbon sources on the production of cellulolytic enzyme (CMCase) from Trichoderma reesei at different temperatures, duration and pH were investigated and conditions were optimized. Acid treated Kans grass (Saccharum sponteneum) was subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis to produce fermentable sugars which was then fermented to bioethanol using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The maximum CMCase production was found to be 1.46 U mL⁻¹ at optimum condition (28 °C, pH 5 and cellulose as carbon source). The cellulases and xylanase activity were found to be 1.12 FPU g⁻¹ and 6.63 U mL⁻¹, respectively. Maximum total sugar was found to be 69.08 mg/g dry biomass with 20 FPU g⁻¹ dry biomass of enzyme dosage under optimum condition. Similar results were obtained when it was treated with pure enzyme. Upon fermentation of enzymatic hydrolysate, the yield of ethanol was calculated to be 0.46 g g⁻¹.