Enhanced productivity and very high gravity fermentation of glucose and steam exploded corn stover using poultry litter biochar

The effect of poultry litter biochar on the growth of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated. Poultry litter biochar contains high level of valuable nutrients and its application to agricultural soils increased plant productivity and soil microbial growth. S. cerevisiae was grown in a biochar medium and the growth was higher and statistically different from the growth in the control media. Poultry litter biochar addition to pure glucose and steam exploded biomass hydrolysates improved the ethanol productivity. The glucose consumption and ethanol production were faster in the biochar medium compared to the control. For the same initial concentration of glucose (50 g/l), the biochar medium glucose was consumed in 12 hours compared to 24 hours for control, and the maximum ethanol productivity was 2.17 g/l-h for biochar medium and 1.78 g/l-h for the GYE control with no biochar. At initial glucose concentration of 100 g/l and 150 g/l, the yeast growth and ethanol production were faster in the biochar media than the GYE control medium. The maximum ethanol productivity were 3.76 g/l-h and 2.99 g/l-h respectively for the biochar media and 1.24 g/l-h and 1.19 g/l-h respectively for the GYE medium. Similarly, results showed that poultry litter biochar addition to steam exploded biomass improved the ethanol productivity of steam exploded poplar up to a maximum of 3.20 g/l-h at 5% biochar loading and the ethanol productivity of steam exploded corn stover was 2.02 g/l-h at 1% biochar loading.