Ethanol production using a soy hydrolysate-based medium or a yeast autolysate-based medium

Abstract

This invention presents a method for the production of ethanol that utilizes a soy hydrolysate-based nutrient medium or a yeast autolysate-based medium nutrient medium in conjunction with ethanologenic bacteria and a fermentable sugar for the cost-effective production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass. The invention offers several advantages over presently available media for use in ethanol production, including consistent quality, lack of toxins and wide availability.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for the production of ethanol comprising (a) contacting a nutrient medium selected from the group consisting of a pasteurized, hydrolyzed soy product and a pasteurized, autolyzed yeast product, ethanologenic bacteria and a fermentable sugar, thereby obtaining a mixture and (b) incubating said mixture under conditions suitable for the production of ethanol.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said nutrient medium is a pasteurized, hydrolyzed soy product selected from the group consisting of soy flour, soy meal, ground soybeans and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (a) further comprises a supplement selected from the group consisting of macronutrient salts, vitamins, FeCl 3  and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said supplement comprises a macronutrient salt mixture comprising (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 , K 2 HPO 4 , NaCl and MgSO 4 .7H 2 O.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said supplement comprises a vitamin mixture comprising cyanocobalamin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine.HCl and thiamine.HCl.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said ethanologenic bacteria are selected from the group consisting of Erwinia, Klebsiella, Xanthomonas and Escherichia.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said Escherichia bacteria is  E. coli  KO11.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said conditions suitable for the production of ethanol occurs at a temperature of from about 30° C. to about 40° C.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said conditions suitable for the production of ethanol occurs at a pH of from about 5.0 to about 7.0.