Efeito do tamanho do inóculo na fermentaçäo alcoólica por Zymomonas mobilis ZAP / Effects of inoculum size on alcoholic fermentation by Zymomonas mobilis ZAP

The effects of inoculon size, centrifuged or not, on the batch alcoholit fermentation by Zymomonas mobilis (strain ZAP) were studied. The results show that the ethanol yeld factor, the "economical" and the biochemical" efficiencies and the productivity increase with the elevation of inoculum independently of the inoculation methodology (centrifuged or not). The specific rates of cells growth (micronx), glucose uptake (microngs) and ethanol production (microngp) decrease with the elevation of inoculum level. It was observed an apparente limitation of growth with the increase above 20% (0,50 g/l) of the uncentrifuged inoculum