OPTIMIZED PRODUCTION, CHARACTERIZATIONAND APPLICATION OF BIOETHANOL FROM FERMENTED LIQUOR AND PEELS OF CASSAVA.

Abstract

The bioethanol produced from cassava peel (Manihot esculenta Cranz) and its applications to industrial processes were investigated. 500 mL of cassava fermented liquor and 600 g of cassava peel feedstock were used for this research. 600 g of cassava peel feedstock was washed, peeled and grated using mechanical grater and gelatinized. Two modes of hydrolysis were adopted for liquefaction of the gelatinized sample: acid and enzyme hydrolysis respectively. 0.1 – 1 M H2SO4 and HCl were used in-turn to hydrolyze the gelatinized sample, also Alpha-amylase and glucoamylase were employed to hydrolyze the sample as well. Both the acid and enzyme hydrolyzed liquors were subjected to fermentation process using industrial bakers’ Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Different experimental conditions such as reaction temperature (100 oC), reaction time (60 min.), and acid concentrations (1.0 M) were examined in order to establish the best conditions for the hydrolysis. The yield of bioethanol obtained using H2SO4 was 20.7 % and noticed to be higher than that of HCl which was 15.62 % under the same experimental conditions. However, the yield of bioethanol obtained via enzyme hydrolysis 21.62 % after fermentation was observed to be higher than the yield from the acid hydrolysis. The physicochemical properties of the cassava peel derived bioethanol such as, flash point (40 oC ), Refractive index of (1.358) and pH (5.38 ) conformed to those of the conventional ethanol which showed values for flash point as 38 oC, Refractive index of 1.360 and pH 4.68. Functional group of the derived bioethanol shows O-H functional group around 3600-2400, C-H (1470-1350) and C-O (1320-1000). Result of the GC-MS showed the molecular mass of the derived bioethanol at the following Intensities; Cassava Peel Enzyme Hydrolysis (250000), Cassava peel Acid Hydrolysis (600000), Enzyme Hydrolysis fermented liquor of cassava (800000). The viability of the in-house derived- bioethanol for the production of some household products such as aftershave, hand sanitizer and disinfectant was investigated and found suitable as base chemical for the industrial production of these commodities. The quality assessment of these household products shows that cassava derived bioethanol is a promising feedstock for the industrial production of these products and their allied.