Abstract

Corn cob hydrolysis with 1% (v/v) of sulfuric acid yielded 36.49 total reducing sugars (g/l) along with various fermentation inhibitors such as fufural, phenolics compounds and acetic acid. The acid hydrolysate detoxified with overliming plus activated charcoal brought about a maximum decrease in fufural (100%), acetic acid (62.4%) and phenolics compounds (96.6%). Treatment of hydrolysate with overliming caused 99, 51.4 and 16.7% loss in fufural, acetic acid and phenolics compounds, respectively. Fermentation byCandida shehatae ACCC 20335 showed a maximum yield of ethanol (0.31 g/g) and a productivity of 0.152 g/l/h with overliming plus activated charcoal treated hydrolysate.

Key words: Corn cob, detoxification, ethanol, fermentation, hydrolysate.