Effect of Fungal Biotreatment Method for Lignocellulosic Ethanol Production from Areca Nut (Areca catechu L.) Husk Using Yeasts and Zymomonas mobilis NCIM 2915

Sustainable development is the underpinning principle in the panacea for almost every environmental concern. Generation of energy from the biomass can solve the purpose of environmentalist. Bioethanol and biodiesel that comprises biofuel is one such form of green energy. The major drivers for bioethanol production in India are energy security, slower potential for global warming and converting waste to energy. For bioethanol lignocellulosic, biomass is the most abundant renewable resource that can serve as substrate for its production. Bioconversion offers a cheap and safe method of not only disposing the agricultural residues, but also it has the potential to convert lignocellulosic wastes into usable forms, such as reducing sugars that could be used for ethanol production. This paper reports a preliminary study on the microbial pretreatment and fermentation of the areca nut husk. A combination of Aspergillus terreus and Phanerochaete chrysosporium NCIM 1197 (AT + PC) obtained from screening was used for pretreatment and, yeasts and bacterium Zymomonas mobilis NCIM 2915 were used for carrying out fermentation. Z. mobilis NCIM 2915 was showed maximum ethanol production after fermentation from areca nut husk as followed by Pichia stipitis NCIM 3498, Saccharomyces cerevisiae NCIM 3095 and Candida shehatae NCIM 3500. Hence, fungal pretreatment by cellulolytic fungi was more effective for ethanol production. Areca nut husk was revealed as a suitable substrate for ethanol production.