The goal of this project was to produce ethanol using a magnetically stabilized, continuous, bioreactor. This was achieved by the entrapment of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae yeast in calcium alginate beads, doped with magnetite. The bioreactor was constructed in-house and consisted of a flow through chamber in which the beads were stabilized with an array of magnets. Ethanol production was monitored over a period of up to 8 days using gas chromatography analysis of headspace vapor. Immobilization of yeast cells allowed for the optimization of ethanol production. With a working volume of 250mL, a 13% ethanol concentration was achieved within 72 hours. The system may be used for biofuel production ideally using waste as feedstock and appropriate selection of the entrapped organism.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Young, Craig Peterson
• Aldi, Anthony N.

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-041511-131123

Advisor

• Lambert, Christopher R.
• McGimpsey, W. Grant

Year

• 2011

Date created

• 2011-04-15

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Chemistry

Rights statement

• In Copyright