Guangxi COFCO innovates its annual 200 000 ton cassava ethanol production in recent years. To evaluate the energy input/output of the production process, we used the domestic life cycle model. The calculation results show that the net energy value was 9.56 MJ/L ethanol. Energy input for ethanol production was 51.3% of the total. 61.5% of energy input for ethanol production was used for steam input in ethanol distillation. Energy produced from by-product was 5.03 MJ/L ethanol. Hence, efficient use of raw materials is an important measure to improve the energy efficiency in Guangxi COFCO and energy compensation from byproducts has key impact on the net energy saving.
Biofuels ; China ; Ethanol ; Manihot

The regions suitable for growing cassava include five provinces in Southern China, with Guangxi alone accounting for over 65% of the total cassava production in the country. In this article, the state-of-the-art development of fuel ethanol production from cassava in China is illustrated by the construction of the cassava fuel ethanol plant with its annual production capacity of 200 000 metric tons. And in the meantime, problems and challenges encountered in the development of China's cassava fuel ethanol are highlighted and the strategies to address them are proposed.
Biofuels ; China ; Conservation of Energy Resources ; Ethanol ; metabolism ; Manihot ; metabolism

In the present study, we developed a two-liquid phase fermentation system by adding 1% n-dodecane as oxygen-vector to enhance the microbial lipids productivity of Trichosporon fermentans using cassava starch hydrolysate. Results suggest that the oxygen-vector could alleviate the oxygen shortage in flask fermentation. The cell mass and lipids concentration were 101.2 g/L and 50.28 respectively in 2 L fermenter with the presence of 1% n-dodecane. Additionally, gas chromatography analysis also reveals that the microbial lipids produced by T. fermentans contained a higher percentage of saturated fatty acid in the oxygen-vector case.
Alkanes ; chemistry ; Biofuels ; Fermentation ; Industrial Microbiology ; methods ; Lipids ; biosynthesis ; Manihot ; metabolism ; Starch ; metabolism ; Trichosporon ; genetics ; metabolism

Lactic acid has a wide range of uses in the chemical, pharmaceutical and food industry. With rapid development of poly (lactic acid) industry, the demand for polymer-grade L-lactic acid is continuously increasing. Developing low-cost, non-food-biomass-lactic-acid fermentation process and the fermentation-separation coupled technology are trends to reduce polymer-grade L-lactic acid production cost. This review summarized the most recent advances in low-cost L-lactic acid fermentation based on the use of non-food biomass, followed by addressing the key issue that might be strategically important for future development of polymer-grade L-lactic acid production in industry.
Biomass ; Biotechnology ; trends ; Cellulose ; metabolism ; Fermentation ; Insulin ; metabolism ; Lactic Acid ; metabolism ; Manihot ; metabolism ; Polymers ; metabolism

We optimized the conditions of mixed fermentation of very high gravity ethanol with cassava flour and sugarcane juice. Based on the single factor experiment, we screened the important parameters for very high gravity ethanol fermentation with cassava flour and sugarcane juice by the Plackeet-burman design. Then, we obtained the optimum values of the important parameters by the orthogonal experiments: the mixing ratio of cassava flour to sugarcane juice, 1:5; initial pH of fermentation, 4.0-4.5; the concentrations of urea and MgSO4, 0.25% and 0.04% (W/W), respectively. Finally, we used a gradient temperature control strategy with the optimized conditions, and ethanol concentration of 17.84% (V/V) and fermentation efficiency of 91.82% were achieved, correspondingly.
Biofuels ; analysis ; Ethanol ; analysis ; metabolism ; Fermentation ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Manihot ; metabolism ; Powders ; Saccharum ; metabolism

We optimized the conditions of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) from cassava flour into high-concentration ethanol by thermophilic yeast GXASY-10. Based on the single factor experiment, we screened the important parameters by Plackeet-burman design. We used the path of steepest ascent to approach to the biggest region of ethanol production subsequently. Then, we obtained the optimum values of the parameters by Box-Behnken design. The results showed that the important parameters were the liquefaction time, glucosidase dosages and initial concentration of cassava flour (substrate). The optimum technical conditions were as follows: liquefaction time 35 min, glucosidase dosages 1.21 AGU/g substrate and initial substrate concentration 37.62%. Under such optimum conditions, the ethanol yield of 20 L fermentor reached 16.07% (V/W) after 48 h fermentation at 37 degrees C and 100 r/min. The ethanol content increased 33% than that under the original condition.
Ethanol ; analysis ; metabolism ; Fermentation ; Glucosidases ; pharmacology ; Hot Temperature ; Manihot ; metabolism ; Substrate Specificity ; Yeasts ; physiology

The energy consumption in a Chinese ethanol manufacturer with cassava as the feedstock, has been reduced to a zero-closed level. If the R & D on technical integration of high ethanol concentration fermentation, methane fermentation technique, steam and electricity co-generation system, new distillation technology, and the wastewater reutilization, is carried out continuously, the proposed "zero energy consumption and wastewater" technique could be realized in fuel ethanol production process.
Bioelectric Energy Sources ; Ethanol ; metabolism ; Fermentation ; Manihot ; metabolism ; Methane ; metabolism ; Waste Disposal, Fluid ; methods

HSP21 gene is a key gene to respond high temperature stress in plant and plays an important role in preventing protein denaturation, protecting cell structure and maintaining normal growth and development. Therefore, cloning HSP21 gene is the basis for revealing the molecular mechanism of resistance to high temperature stress in cassava. To obtain cassava HSP21 homologous gene and analyze the properties of predicted protein, electronic cloning technology was used to assemble and derivate new gene in this study, and bioinformatics analysis method was used to analyze the primary to highest structure, hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, signal peptide, protein homology and phylogenetic evolution of expressed protein. HSP21 gene was 969 bp, its open reading frame was 705 bp, and the predicted protein contains 234 amino acids. The predicted protein is a non-transmembrane protein that is alkaline and hydrophilic, and is mainly localized in the chloroplast. Through multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis, it was found that the cassava HSP21 protein has high homology with other plants such as Hevea brasiliensis, Ricinus communis, and Jatropha curcas. The results could provide reference for the study of cloning and transformation of this gene.
Chloroplasts ; Cloning, Molecular ; Computational Biology ; Computer Simulation ; Evolution, Molecular ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; genetics ; Manihot ; genetics ; Phylogeny

Cellulose takes nearly 10% (W/W) dry weight of cassava tubers. In this study, the cellulase cost of different ethanol fermentation from cassava cellulose was evaluated. The processes include the direct saccharification and fermentation of original cassava cellulose residues, the direct saccharification and fermentation of pretreated cassava cellulose residues, and the simultaneous co-saccharification and fermentation of cassava starch and cassava cellulose. The results show that the cassava cellulose utilization in the first two processes were low with the enzyme cost of 13 602 and 11 659 RMB Yuan per tone of ethanol, respectively. In the third process, the final ethanol concentration increased from 101.5 g/L to 107.0 g/L when cassava cellulose and cassava starch were saccharified simultaneously. Comparing to the first two processes, the third one demonstrated the lowest enzyme cost at 3 589 RMB Yuan per ton of ethanol, which was less than the ethanol price and no additional equipment and operation cost input were added. The conclusion provided a practical way of cassava cellulose utilization in cassava ethanol industry.
Biotechnology ; economics ; methods ; Cellulase ; economics ; Cellulose ; metabolism ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Ethanol ; economics ; metabolism ; Fermentation ; Manihot ; metabolism ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae ; metabolism

Cyanogenic glycosides are HCN-producing phytotoxins; HCN is a powerful and a rapidly acting poison. It is not difficult to find plants containing these compounds in the food supply and/or in medicinal herb collections. The objective of this study was to investigate the distribution of total cyanide in nine genera (Dolichos, Ginkgo, Hordeum, Linum, Phaseolus, Prunus, Phyllostachys, Phytolacca, and Portulaca) of edible plants and the effect of the processing on cyanide concentration. Total cyanide content was measured by ion chromatography following acid hydrolysis and distillation. Kernels of Prunus genus are used medicinally, but they possess the highest level of total cyanide of up to 2259.81 CN-/g dry weight. Trace amounts of cyanogenic compounds were detected in foodstuffs such as mungbeans and bamboo shoots. Currently, except for the WHO guideline for cassava, there is no global standard for the allowed amount of cyanogenic compounds in foodstuffs. However, our data emphasize the need for the guidelines if plants containing cyanogenic glycosidesare to be developed as dietary supplements.
Chromatography ; Dietary Supplements ; Distillation ; Flax ; Food Supply ; Ginkgo biloba ; Glycosides ; Hordeum ; Hydrolysis ; Manihot ; Phaseolus ; Phytolacca ; Plants, Edible ; Plants, Medicinal ; Prunus