Manufacture of Bio-ethanol from Waste Material (Cassava Peels) Utilizing Some Microbes

Introduction: There has been various report of the potential of manufacturing of bioethanol from the use of different microbial inoculants for the fermentation of different feedstocks has been previously described and carried out by various researchers. And bioethanol is considered as cheap and efficient biofuel, and environmentally friendly

Aims: The aim of this study is to manufacture bio-ethanol from waste material; such as cassava peel, which would serve as an alternate source of fuel.

Methodology: Cassava peels obtained from garri processing plant in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, were washed, sun-dried, grounded into powdery form and then sieved with 1.5 μ nylon sieve. The powdery cassava peels obtained was cultured using the following inoculant combinations: A = 20 g + Bacillus; B = 20 g + Pseudomonas; C = 20 g + Bacillus + Pseudomonas; D = 40 g + Bacillus; E = 40 g + Pseudomonas; F = 40 g + Bacillus + Pseudomonas; G = 20 g + Aspergillus niger; H = 20 g + Fusarium; I = 40 g + Aspergillus niger; J = 40 g + Fusarium. The control was free of inoculated organism. The cultures were subjected to distillation process for on the 21st day; and the quantity of bio-ethanol manufactured in each group was recorded.

Results: The waste material (cassava peels) produced the highest bio-ethanol yield of 147 mL with A. niger, followed by the combination of Bacillus + Pseudomonas which yielded 108 mL of bio-ethanol. Low ethanol yields of 45, 83 and 94 ml/L were obtained from the cassava peels of in combination with Fusarium, Pseudomonas and Bacillus alone.

Conclusion: Microbes of choice in this study displayed great potential for manufacturing of bio-ethanol from cassava peels.