ABSTRACT
Consolidated bioprocessing technology can be used for Kluyveromyces marxianus YX01 to produce ethanol from Jerusalem artichoke, which is one of the potential processes to produce biofuel from non-cereal crops. In this study, we combined the aeration rate with the substrate concentration to conduct cross-over experiments for K. marxinaus YX01, and studied ethanol fermentation and the influence of inulin enzyme activity. The substrate concentration had a little repressive effect on ethanol productivity. When substrate concentration reached 250 g/L under anaerobic conditions, ethanol concentration was 84.8 g/L, and ethanol yield was reduced from 86.4% (50 g/L substrate concentration) to 84.7% of the theoretical value. Aeration rate could accelerate K. marxinaus YX01 ethanol fermentation, but reduced ethanol yield. When substrate concentration reached 250 g/L under aeration at 1.0 vvm, ethanol yield was reduced from 84.7% under anaerobic conditions to 73.3% of the theoretical value. With increased concentration of the carbon source and reduced aeration rate, the inulinase of K. marxinaus YX01 reduced and the concentration of glycerol increased, however, the acetic acid increased with the increased concentration of the carbon source and aeration rate. When substrate concentration reached 250 g/L under anaerobic conditions, inulinase activity was only 6.59 U/mL; when substrate concentration reached 50 g/L under aeration at 1.0 vvm, inulinase activity was 21.54 U/mL.