Production of bioethanol from plantain peels using <i>Aspergillus</i> spp. and <i>Saccharomyces</i> spp.

Abstract

The study investigated the production of bioethanol from ripe and unripe plantain peels. Aqueous extracts of plantain peels were obtained and inoculated with Saccharomyces cereviae and Aspergillus spp. The set-ups were incubated for a period of eight days. The physicochemical properties (reducing sugar, cell density, pH, temperature and ethanol yield) of the set-ups were assessed at two day interval for a period of eight days during the fermentation period. There was a consistent decrease in the amount of reducing sugar with values between 0.412 to 0.078 g/mol. There was a corresponding increase in ethanol yield with values between 0.30 to 7.80 ml. Cell density increased between 0.221 to 0.789 g/mol. pH decreased with values between 6.22 to 3.85 as the period of fermentation increased. Temperature increased with values between 27 to 34^OC in the course of fermentation. The highest ethanol yield was obtained in the set-up containing ripe plantain peel and Saccharomyces cerevisae with a final yield of 44 ml compared to the set-ups containing ripe plantain peel, Aspergillus and Saccharomyces with a final yield of 42 ml, unripe plantain peels, Aspergillus and Saccharomyces with a final yield of 32 ml, unripe plantain peels and Saccharomyces with a final yield of 30 ml, ripe plantain peel with a final yield of 15 ml, and unripe plantain peel with a final yield of 9 ml. Ethanol can be produced efficiently by controlled fermentation technique from plantain peel waste using Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus spp.

Keywords: Bioethanol, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus spp., Plantain Peel and Fermentation