Effect of By-products from Wet-oxidation Explosion on the Growth and Fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Effect of by-products from wet-oxidation explosion, such as formic acid, acetic acid, and furfural on the growth and fermentation, glycolysis and energy metabolism, cytomembrane integrality of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were studied. The results showed that the maximum tolerated concentration of S. cerevisiae was 1.8 g/L formic acid, 6.0 g/L acetic acid,2.5g/ furfural, respectively. The inhibition strengths of the typical inhibitors to ethanol fermentation were in the order of formic acid, acetic acid, furfural. When the concentration of these typical inhibitors is 1xIC(80), acetic acid has the minimum impact on glycolysis and energy metabolism. When the concentration of these typical inhibitors was 2xIC(80), furfural had minimum impact on glycolysis and energy metabolism. However, formic acid can inhibit strongly the glycolysis and energy metabolism of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with any concentration. When compared with ethanol, the impact of these typical inhibitors on S. cerevisiae's cytomembrane integrality was not very significant. When the concentra- tion of these typical inhibitors varied from 1 xIC(80) to 3 xIC(80), the results of the leak of Mg2+ was 11%-20% formic acid, 5%-12% acetic acid, 4.5%-8.4% furfural, respectively. However, the result of ethanol that leaded to the leak of Mg2+ was 55%.