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Formation of ethanol by bacteria. A pledge for the use of extreme thermophilic anaerobic bacteria in industrial ethanol fermentation processes

  • Swiss Society of Microbiology Reports of the 39th Annual Meeting
  • Microbiology and Biochemistry of Methanogens
  • Published:
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Summary

Many anaerobic, facultatively anaerobic and even some strictly aerobic microorganisms form various amounts of ethanol from glucose. Only few mesophilic and extreme thermophilic bacteria ferment glucose stoichiometrically to 2 ethanol and 2 carbondioxid. Biotechnological processes at elevated temperatures seem advantageous in many respects. Hence, thermophiles and extreme thermophiles can potentially substitute for yeast in ethanol production on an industrial scale. Advantages and disadvantages of thermophilic mixed cultures and of potentially useful organisms are discussed.

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  1. Institut für Mikrobiologie der Gesellschaft für Strahlen- und Umweltforschung mbH München, Grisebachstrasse 8, D-3400, Göttingen, Federal Republic of Germany

    J. Wiegel

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  1. J. Wiegel
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Acknowledgment. This work was partly supported by Energy and Research Development Administration contract number EY-76-509-0888-M003 and by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

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Wiegel, J. Formation of ethanol by bacteria. A pledge for the use of extreme thermophilic anaerobic bacteria in industrial ethanol fermentation processes. Experientia 36, 1434–1446 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01960144

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