Utilization of seaweed (Gracilaria sp.) liquid as cost- effective macronutrients and micronutrients for bioethanol production

• Main Authors: Zakaria, Nur Z.I., Gunny, Ahmad Anas Nagoor, Dzahir, Mohd I.H.M, Ahmad, Abdul Aziz, Ismail, Ku S.K, Mahmod, Safa Senan, Javed, Muhammad, Yazdi, Namdar B, Saifuddin, Md. N.A.A
• Format: Article
• Language: English; English
• Published: AIDIC-Italian Association of Chemical Engineering 2023
• Subjects: T Technology (General); TA164 Bioengineering
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/109740/7/109740_Utilization%20of%20seaweed%20%28Gracilaria%20sp.%29%20liquid%20as%20cost-.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/109740/13/109740_Utilization%20of%20seaweed%20%28Gracilaria%20sp.%29%20liquid%20as%20cost-%20effective%20macronutrients%20and%20micronutrients%20for%20bioethanol%20production_Scopus.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/109740/; https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/CET23106227; https://doi.org/10.3303/CET23106227

Seaweed liquid waste from filter-squeezed drying process of Gracilaria sp. causes an unpleasant odour to the environment. Although this waste can partially be used as biofertilizer and heavy metals adsorbent, a bigger portion of the waste remains unutilized thus causing a problem to the environment. The present study aimed to utilize seaweed liquid waste as a supplement in fermentation media. To achieve this aim, Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a famous bioethanol producer was used to examine the ability of seaweed liquid to supply macronutrients and micronutrients in the media to produce ethanol. Interestingly, when used as a supplement in the fermentation media to produce ethanol, the liquid boosted ethanol production three folds from 200 mg/L of 2 % glucose alone to 600 mg/L of 2 % glucose in liquid. Additionally, the liquid was able to substitute yeast extract and peptone within YPD media to produce 647.48 mg/L ethanol as compared to only 542.39 mg/L with normal YPD which contains yeast extract and peptone. For that reason, the utilization of seaweed liquid as the supplement in the medium should be considered as an alternative cost-effective media for enhancing ethanol production without the addition of other nutrients.