Influence of furfural concentration on growth and ethanol yield of Saccharomyces kluyveri

Furfural is an important inhibitor in ethanol fermentation process using lignocellulosic hydrolysates as raw materials. In order to find out the furfural concentration range in which furfural inhibits the fermentation process, we used one strain Saccharomyces kluyveri selected from soil and cultured in several different furfural content media under low glucose concentration condition. Experiment results show that microorganism growth was stimulated and dry cell weight decreased when furfural concentration in the medium was 0.25 mg/ml. Furfural had negative effect on cell growth when its concentration was above 1.00 mg/ml. At the same time, the strain growed better and had higher glucose consumption rate in 5% original glucose concentration condition than in 3% original glucose concentration condition. The results show that appropriate exaltation of original glucose concentration in stalk hydrolysates will increase the strain resistance to furfural.