Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Production of bioethanol from sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor L.] juice using yeast isolated from fermented sweet sorghum juice

  • Research
  • Published:
International Microbiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

As a sugar-rich plant with no impact on global warming and food security, sweet sorghum can be exploited as an alternative source of renewable bioenergy. This study aimed to examine the potential of sweet sorghum juice for the generation of bioethanol using yeast isolated from the juice. The °Brix of sweet sorghum juice was measured using a digital refractometer. Additionally, 18 wild yeasts isolated from fermented sweet sorghum juice were subjected to various biochemical tests to describe them to identify potential yeast for ethanol production. The morphological and biochemical analyses of the yeasts revealed that all of the yeast isolates were most likely members of the genus Saccharomyces. The most ethanol-tolerant yeast isolate SJU14 was employed for sweet sorghum juice fermentation. A completely randomized factorial design was used with various fermentation parameters, primarily pH, temperature, and incubation period. Then ethanol content was determined using a potassium dichromate solution. According to the ANOVA, the highest ethanol content (18.765%) was produced at 30/26 °C, pH 4.5, and incubated for 96 h. Sweet sorghum juice was found to be an excellent source of potent yeasts, which have important industrial properties like the capacity to grow at high ethanol and glucose concentrations. Moreover, it can be utilized as a substitute substrate for the manufacturing of bioethanol production to lessen the environmental threat posed by fossil fuels. Further research is, therefore, recommended to develop strategically valuable applications of sweet sorghum for enhancing the food system and mitigating climate change.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ali MN, Khan MM (2014) Screening, identification and characterization of alcohol tolerant potential bioethanol producing yeasts. Curr Res Microbiol Biotechnol 2:316–324

    Google Scholar 

  • Amigun B, Kaviti J, Stafford W (2011) Biofuels and sustainability in Africa. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 15:1360–1372

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andualem B, Gessesse A (2014) Impact of petroleum on developing economies and prospect of liquid biofuel substitute: scenario in Ethiopia. World Appl Sci J 32:1652–1663

    Google Scholar 

  • Azhar SH, Abdulla R, Jambo SA, Marbawi H, Gansau JA, MohdFaik AA, Rodrigues KF (2017) Yeasts in sustainable bioethanol production: a review. Biochem Biophys Rep 10:52–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnett JR, Payne T, Yarrow D (1990) Yeasts: characteristics and identification. Cambridge University Press, London, pp 785–813

    Google Scholar 

  • Baxby D, Blundell N, Hart CA (1984) The development and performance of a simple, sensitive method for the detection the Cryptosporidium oocysts in faeces. J Hyg 92:317–323

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caputi A Jr, Ueda M, Brown T (1968) Spectrophotometric determination of ethanol in wine. Am J Enol Vitic 19:160–165

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coronado CJR, CarvalhoJr JA, Andrade JC, Cortez EV, Carvalho FS, Santos JC, Mendiburu AZ (2012) Flammability limits: a review with emphasis on ethanol for aeronautical applications and description of the experimental procedure. J Hazard Mater 241:32–54

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dash PK, Mohaptra S, Swain MR, Thatoi H (2017) Optimization of bioethanol production from saccharified sweet potato root flour by co-fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia sp. using OVAT and response surface methodologies. Acta Biol Szeged 6:1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Doherty WOS (2011) Improved sugar cane juice clarification by understanding calcium oxide-phosphate-sucrose systems. J Agric Food Chem 59:1829–1836

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ekunsanmi TJ, Odunfa SA (1990) Ethanol tolerance, sugar tolerance and invertase activities of some yeast strains isolated from steep water of fermenting cassava tubers. J Appl Bact 69:672–675

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El-Gend N, Madian HR, Abu Amr SS (2013) Design and optimization of a process for sugarcane molasses fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae using response surface methodology. Int J Microb 2:1–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ethiopian Ministry Of Mining, Petroleum, and Natural Gas (EMMPN). Biofuel development coordination directorate (2019) Report

  • Fakruddin M, Islam MA, Quayum MA, Ahmed MM, Chowdhury N (2013) Characterization of stress tolerant high potential ethanol producing yeast from agro-industrial waste. Am J Biosci 1:24–34

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gnansounoua E, Dauriat A, Wyman CE (2005) Refining sweet sorghum to ethanol and sugar: economic trade-offs in the context of North China. Bioresour Technol 96:985–1002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graeme MW, Nia AW (2005) Introduction to fungal physiology: biology and application. John Wiley and Sons, Ltd, pp 1–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Grassi G (2000) Bioethanol industrial world perspective. Renew Energy World 3:86–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray WD (1945) The sugar tolerance of four strains of distillers’ yeast. J Bacteriol 49:445–452

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Haggran AA, Abo-Sereih NA (2014) Isolation and identification of ethanol tolerant yeast strains. Middle East J Appl Sci 4:600–606

    Google Scholar 

  • Han KJ, Pitman DW, Kim M, Day DF, Alison MW, Mccormickk ME, Aita G (2013) Ethanol production potential of sweet sorghum assessed using forage fiber analysis procedures. GCB Bioenergy 5:358–366

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harikrishna S, Chowdary GV (2000) Optimization of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation for the production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass. J Agri Food Chem 48:1971–1976

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hashem M, Zohri ANA, Ali MM (2013) Optimization of the fermentation conditions for ethanol production by new thermo tolerant yeast strains of Kluyveromycessp. Afr J Microbiol Res 7:4550–4561

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ishmayana S, Learmonth RP and Kennedy UJ (2011) Fermentation performance of the yeast S. cerevisiae in media with high sugar concentration. Conference Paper Conference: The 2nd International Seminar on Chemistry

  • Jacques KA, Lyons TP, Kelsall DR (1999) The alcohol textbook: fuel and industrial alcohol industries, 3rd edn. Nottingham University Press, Nottingham, U.K.

    Google Scholar 

  • James A, Barnett A (2004) History of research on yeasts: enzymatic adaptation and regulation of yeasts. School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Wiley Inter Science Norwich, pp 703–746

    Google Scholar 

  • Jia F, Chawhuaymak J, Riley R, Zimmt W, Ogden L (2013) Efficient extraction method to collect sugar from sweet sorghum. J Biol Eng 7:1–8

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Karki TB, Timilsina PM, Yadav A, Pandey GR, Joshi Y, Bhujel S, Adhikari R, Neupane K (2017) Selection and characterization of potential baker’s yeast from indigenous resources of Nepal. Biotechnol Res Int:1–10

  • Kartawiriaa IS, Syamsu K, Noor E, Sa'id EG (2015) Sorghum stalk juice pre-treatment method for the bioethanol fermentation process. Energy Procedia 65:140–145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khalil SR, Abdelhafez AA, Amer EAM (2015) Evaluation of bioethanol production from juice and bagasse of some sweet sorghum varieties. Ann Agric Sci 60:317–324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aoas.2015.10.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar RS, Shankar T, Anandapandian KTK (2011) Characterization of alcohol resistant yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated from Toddy. Int Res J Microbiol 2:399–405

    Google Scholar 

  • Li J, Li S, Yu M, Ran Du R (2014) A cost-effective integrated process to convert sweet sorghum stalks into biofuels. Energy Procedia 61:2137–2140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin Y, Zhang W, Li C, Sakakibara K, Tanaka S, Kong H (2012) Factors affecting ethanol fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae BY4742. Biomass Bioenergy 47:395–401

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Linton JA, Miller JC, Little RD, Petrolia DR, Coble KH (2011) Economic feasibility of producing sweet sorghum as an ethanol feedstock in the southeastern United States. Biomass Bioenergy 35:3050–3057

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loh SK, Kassim MS, Bukhari NA (2018) Optimization of process conditions for ethanol production from enzymatically saccharified empty fruit bunch using response surface methodology (RSM). J Oil Palm Res 30. https://doi.org/10.21894/jopr.2018.0045

  • López-Sandin I, Zavala-García F, Levin L, Ruiz HA, Hernández-Luna CE, Gutiérrez-Soto G (2021) Evaluation of bioethanol production from sweet sorghum variety roger under different tillage and fertilizer treatments. BioEnergy Res 14:1058–1069

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mar NN, Linn K, Wai HP, Mon H, Soe AA, Minn M (2019) Efficiency of different N, P, K fertilizer application methods in sorghum to optimize marginal land productivity. Science 4:511–515. https://www.irjaes.com/pdf/V4N2Y19-IRJAES/IRJAES-V4N2P663Y19.pdf

    Google Scholar 

  • Marakis SG, Marakis GS (1996) Fructose syrup and ethanol from deseeded carob pod. J Food Sci Technol 33:108–111

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mariam I, Manzoor K, Sikander A (2009) Enhanced production of ethanol from free and immobilized Saccharomyces cerevisiae under stationary culture. Pak J Bot 41:21–833

    Google Scholar 

  • Marques WL, Raghavendran V, Stambuk BU, Gombert AK (2016) Sucrose and Saccharomyces cerevisiae: a relationship most sweet. Mini review. FEMS Yeast Res 16:fov107. https://doi.org/10.1093/femsyr/fov107

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mathur S, Umakanth AV, Tonapi VA et al (2017) Sweet sorghum as biofuel feedstock: recent advances and available resources. Biotechnol Biofuels 10:146. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-017-0834-9

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Miguel MGCP, Cardoso PG, Magalhães-Guedes KT, Schwan RF (2013) Identification and assessment of kefir yeast potential for sugar/ethanol-resistance. Braz J Microbiol 44:113–118

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mutepe RD, Marx S, Van der Gryp P (2011) Ethanol production from sweet sorghum. School of Chemical and Minerals Engineering, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa

    Google Scholar 

  • Narendranath NV, Power R (2005) Relationship between pH and medium dissolved solids in terms of growth and metabolism of Lactobacilli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae during ethanol production. Appl Environ Microbiol 71:2239–2243

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Nasir A, Rahman SS, Hossain MM, Choudhury N (2017) Isolation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae from pineapple and orange and study of metal’s effectiveness on ethanol production. Eur J Microbiol Immunol 7:76–91

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neville KJ, Dauvergne P (2012) Biofuels and the politics of mapmaking. Polit Geogr 31:279–289

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nexcelom Bioscience (2018) Counting yeast cells using a hemacytometer. https://www.nexcelom.com

  • Noé F, Arroyo-López Orlić S, Querol A, Barrio E (2009) Effects of temperature, pH and sugar concentration on the growth parameters of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, S. kudriavzevii, and their interspecific hybrid. Int J Food Microbiol 131:120–127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ok T, Hashinaga F (1997) Identification of sugar-tolerant yeasts isolated high-sugar fermented vegetable extracts. J Gen App Microbiol 43:39–47

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira VA, Vicente MA, Fietto LG, de Miranda Castro I, Coutrim MX, Schüller D, Alves H, Casal M, de Oliveira Santos J, Araújo LD, da Silva PHA (2008) Biochemical and molecular characterization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains obtained from sugar-cane juice fermentations and their impact in cachac¸a production. App Environ Microbiol 74:693–670

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Olowonibi OO (2017) Isolation and characterization of palm wine strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Potentially Useful as Bakery Yeasts. Eur J Exp Biol 7:1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Onoghwarite OE, Obiora NV, Ben EA (2016) Effects of process variables on the fermentation of corn stover. J Sci Eng Res 3:279–288

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Osho A (2005) Ethanol and sugar tolerance of wine yeasts isolated from fermenting cashew apple juice. Afr J Biotechnol 4:660–662

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pabendon MB, Efendi R, Santoso SB, Prastowo B (2017) Varieties of sweet sorghum Super-1 and Super-2 and its equipment for bioethanol in Indonesia. IOP Conf Ser Earth Environ Sci 65:012054. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/65/1/012054

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phisalaphong M, Srirattana N, Tanthapanichakoon W (2006) Mathematical modeling to investigate temperature effect on kinetic parameters of ethanol fermentation. Biochem Eng J 28:36–43

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Phukoetphim N, Salakkam A, Laopaiboon P, Laopaiboon L (2017) Improvement of ethanol production from sweet sorghum juice under batch and fed-batch fermentations: effects of sugar levels, nitrogen supplementation, and feeding regimes. Electron J Biotechnol 26:84–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prasad S, Dhanya MS (2011) Determination and detoxification of cyanide content in sorghum for ethanol production using Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain. J Metabol Syst Biol 2:10–14

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prasad S, Singh A, Jain N, Joshi HC (2007) Ethanol production from sweet sorghum syrup for utilization as automotive fuel in India. Energy Fuels 21:2415–2420

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qvirist LA, Filippo CD, Strati F, Stefanini I, Sordo M, Andlid T, Felis GE, Mattarelli P, Cavalieri D (2016) Isolation, identification and characterization of yeasts from fermented goat milk of the Yaghnob Valley in Tajikistan. Front Microbiol:1690

  • Reddy B, Kumar AA, Ramesh S (2008) Sweet sorghum: a water saving bioenergy crop international crops research institute for the semi-arid tropics Patancheru Andhra Pradesh, India pp. 1–12

  • Regassa TH, Wortmann CS (2014) Sweet sorghum as a bioenergy crop: literature review. Biomass Bioenergy 64:348–355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2014.03.052

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reis VR, Bassi APG, Gomes da Silva JC, Ceccato-Antonini SR (2013) Characteristics of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts exhibiting rough colonies and pseudohyphal morphology with respect to alcoholic fermentation. Braz J Microbiol 44:1121–1131

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sasaki K, Tsuge Y, Sasaki D, Teramura H, Wakai S, Kawaguchi H, Sazuka T, Ogino C, Kondo A (2014) Increased ethanol production from sweet sorghum juice concentrated by a membrane separation process. Bioresour Technol 169:821–825

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sathaye J, Lucon O, Rahman A, Christensen J, Denton F, Fujino J, Heath G, Kadner S, Mirza M, Rudnick H, Schlaepfer A, Shmakin A (2011) Renewable energy in the context of sustainable energy. In: Edenhofer et al. (eds), In IPCC Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge; pp.14–57

  • Soontornchaiya J, Laopaiboon P, Sridee W, Sompong W, Laopaiboon L (2009) Sterilization of sweet sorghum stem juice for ethanol production. KKU Res J 14:1072–1083

    Google Scholar 

  • Spencer JFT, Spencer DM (1997) Ecology: where yeasts live. In: Spencer JFT, Spencer DM (eds) Yeasts in Natural and Artificial Habitats. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Steensels J, Snoek T, Meersman E, Nicolino MP, Voordeckers K, Verstrepen KJ (2014) Improving industrial yeast strains: exploiting natural and artificial diversity. FEMS Microbiol Rev 38:947–995

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Suryawanshi OP, Khokhar D, Patel S (2018) Condition optimization for ethanol production from waste substrate of different broken rice varieties. Int J Acad Res Dev 3:1185–1193

    Google Scholar 

  • Tahir A, Sarwar S (2012) Effect of cultural condition on production of ethanol from rotten apple waste by S. cerevisiae straining. Can J Appl Sci 2:187–195

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Takakia M, Tana L, Murakamia T, Tangb Y, Sunb Z, Morimuraa S, Kidaa K (2015) Production of biofuels from sweet sorghum juice via ethanol methane two-stage fermentation. Ind Crop Prod 63:329–336

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tankeshwar A (2022) Endospore staining: principle, procedure, and results. https://microbeonline.com/endospore-staining-principle-procedure-results/ Accessed on May 4, 2023

  • Techaparin A, Thanonkeo P, Klanrit P (2017) High-temperature ethanol production using thermotolerant yeast newly isolated from Greater Mekong Subregion. Braz J Microbiol 48:461–475

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Thammasittirong SN, Chamduang T, Phonrod U, Sriroth K (2013) Ethanol production potential of ethanol-tolerant Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeasts. Pol J Microbiol 61:219–221

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tikka C, Osuru HP, Atluri N, Raghavulu PCV, Mannur IS, Prasad UV, Aluru S, Bhaskar M (2013) Isolation and characterization of ethanol tolerant yeast strains. Bioinformation 9:421

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Tofighi A, Mazaheri Assadi M, Asadirad MHA, Zare Karizi S (2014) Bio-ethanol production by a novel autochthonous thermo-tolerant yeast isolated from wastewater. J Environ Health Sci Eng 12:1–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Torija MJ, Rozes N, Poblet M, Guillamón JM, Mas A (2003) Effect of fermentation temperature on the strain population of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Int J Food Microbiol 80:47–53

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tsegaye Z (2016) Isolation, identification, and characterization of ethanol-tolerant yeast species from fruits for production of bio-ethanol. Int J Modern Chem Appl Sci 3:437–443

    Google Scholar 

  • Ueno R, Urano N, Kimura S (2002) Effect of temperature and cell density on ethanol fermentation by a thermotolerant aquatic yeast strain isolated from hot spring environment. Fish Sci 68:571–578

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (2008) Towards sustainable production and use of resources, assessing biofuels. International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management. www.unep.fr, pp. 1–120

  • Villena MA, Perez AB, Corbo MR, Sinigaglia M, Bevilacqua A (2016) Biotechnological application of yeasts in food science: starter cultures, probiotics, and enzyme production. J Appl Microbiol 123:1360–1372

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker GM, Stewart GG (2016) S. cerevisiae in the production of fermented beverages. A review. Beverages 2:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yap PY, Trau D (2018) Determination of ethanol in alcoholic beverages using photopette cell. Tip Biosystems Pte Ltd, Singapore

    Google Scholar 

  • Zabed H, Faruq G, Sahu JN, Azirun MS, Hashim R, Nasrulhaq Boyce A (2014) Bioethanol production from fermentable sugar juice. Sci World J. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/957102

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful for Mekelle and Addis Ababa Universities.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology, College of Dryland Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia

    Melaku Mekonen Kasegn & Hailay Mehari Gebremedhn

  2. Institute of Biotechnology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Addis Simachew

  3. College of Veterinary Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia

    Yisehak Tsegaye Redda

Authors
  1. Melaku Mekonen Kasegn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Addis Simachew
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yisehak Tsegaye Redda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hailay Mehari Gebremedhn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Melaku Mekonen Kasegn was responsible for conceptualization, developing methodology, and writing original drafts as well as visualization. Addis Simachew contributed writing – review, editing, and supervision of the study. Yisehak Tsegaye Redda had a role in validation, resources, and project administration during the study. These authors had works by sharing their ideas, read, and approved the final manuscript. Finally, Hailay Mehari Gebremedhin had a role of editing the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Melaku Mekonen Kasegn.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval

Not applicable.

Consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary information

ESM 1

(DOCX 16.3 kb)

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kasegn, M.M., Simachew, A., Redda, Y.T. et al. Production of bioethanol from sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor L.] juice using yeast isolated from fermented sweet sorghum juice. Int Microbiol 27, 491–504 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10123-023-00403-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10123-023-00403-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation