Utilization of Seaweed (Gracilaria sp.) Liquid as Cost-Effective Macronutrients and Micronutrients for Bioethanol Production
2023,
Nur Zatul 'Iffah Zakaria,
Ahmad Anas Nagoor Gunny,
Mohd Irfan Hatim Mohamed Dzahir,
Abdul Aziz Ahmad,
Ku Syahidah Ku Ismail,
Safa Senan Mahmod,
Muhammad Javed,
Namdar B.-Yazdi,
Md Nabil Ab Adzim Saifuddin
Seaweed liquid waste from filter-squeezed drying process of Gracilaria sp. causes an unpleasant odour to the environment. Although this waste can partially be used as biofertilizer and heavy metals adsorbent, a bigger portion of the waste remains unutilized thus causing a problem to the environment. The present study aimed to utilize seaweed liquid waste as a supplement in fermentation media. To achieve this aim, Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a famous bioethanol producer was used to examine the ability of seaweed liquid to supply macronutrients and micronutrients in the media to produce ethanol. Interestingly, when used as a supplement in the fermentation media to produce ethanol, the liquid boosted ethanol production three folds from 200 mg/L of 2 % glucose alone to 600 mg/L of 2 % glucose in liquid. Additionally, the liquid was able to substitute yeast extract and peptone within YPD media to produce 647.48 mg/L ethanol as compared to only 542.39 mg/L with normal YPD which contains yeast extract and peptone. For that reason, the utilization of seaweed liquid as the supplement in the medium should be considered as an alternative cost-effective media for enhancing ethanol production without the addition of other nutrients.