Fuel ethanol production second generation from waste as shells banana, passion fruit and orange (efficiency in obtaining molasses) using the yeast Candida utilis fermentation

Abstract

Increasing the norms that regulate the levels of CO2 emitted into the environment by the use of fossil fuels, coupled with poor management, collection, treatment and disposal of organic waste generated in the marketplaces of Soacha (Cundinamarca), creates a wide environmental problems which in turn facilitates the spread of diseases.

In 2008, were produced 6,412 tons of solid waste per month, within which 4,117 tonnes were organic waste, of which less than 0.1% were used in the month.

In this way the need to implement a treatment that could exploit efficiently this waste in a productive process, which would help to reduce the accumulation of these wastes in landfills or waste dumps, thus mitigating the pollution levels in the air and in turn contributes to the development of the region (Mesa Interagencial de Soacha, 2012). Thus was submitted the idea of generating biofuels from solid waste as a promising, innovative and economically feasible strategy.

In the initial phase of this research, the ability of the yeast Candida utilis to use and ferment the sugars from fruit peels was evaluated as bananas, passion fruit and orange; raw materials that came from different marketplaces of Soacha. During this project they implemented and adapted processes of alkaline hydrolysis to remove the lignin and acid hydrolysis. All experiments were monitored periodically with Brix measurements, cell concentration and indirect percentage of ethanol in the fermentation. Bioassays showed the best performance in ethanol production (up to 99%), at 20 hours of the process, in treatments that orange peel was used. The results also show that the yeast has great capacity to adapt and take advantage of these organic wastes for its growth potential and activity.