Maximizing the Production of Ethanol from Corn Starch

Overview

Objectives/Goals The objective of this experiment was to increase the amount of starch broken down in fermentation to produce more ethanol through the use of enzymes Methods/Materials Glucoamylase Alpha-amylase Yeast Insulated Cooler Flasks Pressure sensors Hyrdometer Flasks where filled with starch solution and variable enzyme and allowed to undergo fermentation for 23 hours. Change in specific gravity was measured with a hyrdometer and change in pressure with pressure sensors. Results After experimentation the combination of glucoamylase and alpha-amylase allowed yeast to utilize 47% of the starch. Glucoamylase itself converted 17% of the starch to sugar and Alpha-amylase converted 6% and the control group converted 2-3% average of the starch. Alpha-amylase increased pressure by average 32.34 kPa, 4ml glucoamylase by 79.57 kPa, 4ml of both by 93.42 kPa. control average change in pressure of 8.46 kPa. Conclusions/Discussion Enzymes greatly increase the productivity of fermentation. Alpha-amylase breaks apart complex starch bonds, Glucoamylase breaks apart only the end polymers of starch quickly into maltose. The combination of these two produce the greatest results. Other sugar sources can be used instead of starch, including sugar cane, beets, and wheat.Changes to my experimentation method would include using a larger flask and increasing the density of the sugar mass to produce greater amounts of alcohol. Future research into the conversion of biomass into ethanol also seems possible.

Competition history

• CSEF 2008 Microbiology · Entry S1407

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