Immobilization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae using Ca-alginate for bioethanol production from empty fruit bunch of oil palm

Immobilization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae using Ca-alginate bead was conducted to investigate the performance of S. cerevisiae in producing ethanol from empty fruit bunch of oil palm. Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) and separated hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) methods were used for both free cell and immobilized cell of S. cerevisiae. The result of SSF method for both immobilized and free cell of S. cerevisiae produced the highest ethanol concentration at 3.9% and 3.8%, respectively, after 48 hours fermentation. While the result of SHF method produced the highest ethanol concentration at 3.7% and 3.5%, respectively. Although ethanol concentration obtained with immobilized cell did not presented higher value as expected, it exhibited faster fermentation process, as at 24 hour fermentation, it converted higher ethanol concentration than the free cell.