On-site cellulase production by Trichoderma reesei 3EMS35 mutant and same vessel saccharification and fermentation of acid treated wheat straw for ethanol production

Bioethanol production from lignocellulosic raw materials involves process steps like pre-treatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation and distillation. In this study, wheat straw was explored as feedstock for on-site cellulase production by T. reesei 3EMS35 mutant, and as a substrate for second generation bioethanol production from baker yeast. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffractography (XRD) of untreated wheat straw (UWS) and acid treated wheat straw (TWS) were done to understand the structural organization and changes in the cellulase accessibility and reactivity. The effect of delignification and structural modification for on-site cellulase enzyme production was comparably studied. The efficiency of crude cellulase enzyme for digestion of UWS and TWS and then production of ethanol from TWS was studied using same-vessel saccharification and fermentation (SVSF) technique, both in shaking flasks as well as in fermenters. Two different methods of operation were tested, i.e. the UWSEnz method, where UWS was used for on-site enzyme production, and TWSEnz method where TWS was applied as substrate for cellullase production. Results obtained showed structural modifications in cellulose of TWS due to delignification, removal of wax and change of crystallinity. UWS was better substrate than TWS for cellulase production due to the fact that lignin did not hinder the enzyme production by fungus but acted as a booster. On-site cellulase enzyme produced by T. reesei 3EMS35 mutant hydrolyzed most of cellulose (91 %) in TWS within first 24 hrs. Shake flasks experiments showed that ethanol titers and yields with UWSEnz were 2.9 times higher compared to those obtained with TWSEnz method respectively. Comparatively, titer of ethanol in shake flask experiments was 10 % higher than this obtained in 3 L fermenter with UWSEnz. Outcomes from this investigation clearly demonstrated the potential of on-site cellulase enzyme production and SVSF for ethanol production from wheat straw.