Direct ethanol production from cellulose by consortium of Trichoderma reesei and Candida molischiana

Industrial cellulosic ethanol production is a challenge due to the high cost of cellulases for hydrolysis when lignocellulosic materials are used as feedstock. In this study, direct ethanol production from cellulose was performed by consortium of and . Cellulose was hydrolyzed by a fully enzymatic saccharification process using cellulases. The produced reducing sugar was further utilized by for ethanol production. Because the optimal temperature for the cellulase system is approximately 50°C, the effect of temperature rise from 30°C to 50°C on cellulose hydrolysis was investigated. The results showed that the temperature rise from 30°C to 50°C after 36 h of cultivation was the best for reducing sugar and glucose production. Under these conditions, the maximum concentrations of reducing sugar and glucose produced by were 8.0 g/L and 4.6 g/L at 60 h, respectively. The maximum production of ethanol by was 3.0 g/L after 120 h.