A Kinetic Study of the Fermentation of Cane Sugar Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Egharevba  Felix; Ogbebor  Clara; Akpoveta Oshevwiyo  Vincent

doi:10.4236/ojpc.2014.41005

Egharevba Felix, Ogbebor Clara, Akpoveta Oshevwiyo Vincent

Abstract: The fermentation of cane sugar as substrate by Saccharomyces cerevisiae (enzyme) was critically investigated to obtain certain useful kinetic parameters and to determine the effect of temperature, pH, substrate and yeast (enzyme) concentration on the rate of fermentation. The results indicate that the rate of fermentation (measured as rate of production of CO2) increased in proportion with temperature (optimum 32°C - 36°C), pH (optimum 5.5) substrate (optimum 50 v/v%) and yeast concentration (optimum 3.5 - 4.5 w/v%) up to a limit and subsisted either as a plateau and/or, decreases as the case may be. This suggests that the reaction takes place in two steps. The kinetic parameters examined are maximum rate of reaction Vmax (2.0 × 102 M·min-1), catalytic constant, k2 (1.81 × 10-1 min-1), overall rate constant, k (1.53 × 101 min-1), order of initial reaction (approx. first order), dissociation constant of enzyme-substrate complex, ks (2.74 × 103), Michaelis constant, km (2.74 × 103 M), and the specific activity of enzyme on substrate concentration (1 × 10-1 w/v%). The result of this study showed that the equilibrium step involving k-1/k1 is the limiting step deciding the direction of reaction as well as the specific activity of the enzyme.

Keywords: Fermentation; Substrate Concentration; Kinetics; Cane Sugar; Enzyme

Cite this paper: E. Felix, O. Clara and A. Vincent, "A Kinetic Study of the Fermentation of Cane Sugar Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae," Open Journal of Physical Chemistry, Vol. 4 No. 1, 2014, pp. 26-31. doi: 10.4236/ojpc.2014.41005.

References

[1] G. Kildiran, S. O. Yucel and S. Turkay, “In Situ Alcohol of Soybean Oil,” Journal of American Oil Chemical Society, Vol. 73, No. 2, 1996, pp. 225-228. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02523899

[2] C. E. Goering and B. G. Fry, “Engine Durability Screening Test of a Diesel Oil/Soy Alcohol Microemulsion Fuel,” Journal of American Oil Chemical Society, Vol. 61, No. 10, 1984, pp. 1627-1632. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02541647

[3] A. F. Ogunye and A. A. Susu, “Fermentation Kinetics of Carica Papaya Using Saccharoymces cerevisiae,” Journal of Environmental and Appied Sciences, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1979, pp. 51-60.

[4] E. A. Holsberg, “Fermentation Kinetics of Carica Papaya Using Saccharoymces cerevisiae,” Journal of Environmental and Appied Sciences, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1969, pp. 51-60.

[5] N. Digwo, A. A. Susu and F. A. Ogunye, “Fermentation Kinetics of Carica Papaya Using Saccharoymces cerevisiae,” Journal of Environmental and Appied Sciences, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1978, pp. 51-60.

[6] F. Peter, “Saccharum Officinarum,” Food and Agriculture Oganisation of the United Nations, 2000, pp. 34-36

[7] A. Ault, “An Introduction to Enzyme Kinetics,” Journal of Chemical Education, Vol. 51, No. 6, 1974, pp. 381. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed051p381

[8] G. E. Briggs and B. S. Haldane, “A Note on the Kinetics of Enzyme Action,” In: T. Palmer, Ed., Enzymology, Harwood, London, 1925, pp. 109-110.

[9] H. Lineweaver and D. Burk, “The Determination of Enzyme Dissociation Constants,” In: T. Palmer, Ed., Enzymology, Harwood, London, 1934, pp. 113-114.

[10] M. I. Michaelis and L. Menten, “Kinetic Theory of Enzyme Action,” In: T. Palmer, Ed., Enzymology, Harwood, London, 1913, pp. 107-108.

[11] A. Davidson, “The Penyvin Companion to Food,” Wiley, New York, 2008, p. 65.

[12] G. I. De Beeze, “Alcoholic Fermentation,” Junior World Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Vol. 6, 2008, pp. 354-357.

[13] R. Chang, “Physical Chemistry,” Macmillan, London, 1977, pp. 398-401.