Description
In this study, different strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been screened for the ability of bioethanol production. Yeasts were grown in synthetic liquid medium containing two different substrates: sucrose at different concentrations (10 to 400g/l) and cane molasses (120g/l of sucrose). The screening was made in batch regime and the growth rates, ethanol and biomass productions were determined. The results indicate a flocculent yeast strain – F as the more suitable microorganism to produce ethanol, presenting the highest value of growth rate (0.49h-1) and ethanol yield (0.40g/g) with 120g/l of sucrose concentration. In addition, ethanol production was also studied in a continuous process with the selected yeast strain (F strain), with sucrose and cane molasses (120g/l) at different dilution rates (0.05-0.5 h-1). Data showed that when dilution rate raised to 0.4h-1 the highest sugar conversion, 85% and 90%, were achieved with an ethanol production of 40.5g/l and 50.8g/l for sucrose and molasses, respectively.
; Sàágua, M. C. 
