Bioethanol production derived from banana peels through fermentation process

The aim of this study is to produce bioethanol from banana peels using fermentation process and the parameter of temperature and pH on bioethanol yield was investigated at the same time. Steam pretreatment and acid hydrolysis treatment were used to breakdown the cellulose in waste banana peels. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used in the experiment for fermentation purpose. Three samples were prepared at different pH was varied to determine the effect of pH on ethanol yield in which the temperature was set constant at 37.0°C whereas another three samples were prepared to determine the effect of temperature on ethanol yield as the pH was kept constant at pH 4.5. The ethanol concentrations in water were determined by testing the samples using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). This indicated that at pH 5.0 and at the temperature of 45.0°C was the optimum condition for the yeast to produce bioethanol.