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METHOD FOR THE CONVERSION OF PLANT MATERIALS INTO FUELS AND CHEMICALS BY SEQUENTIAL ACTION OF TWO MICROORGANISMS

  • US 20110020884A1
  • Filed: 02/27/2009
  • Published: 01/27/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2008
  • Status: Abandoned Application
First Claim
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1. A process for making ethanol and other chemicals, comprising:

  • providing a pretreated biomass-derived material comprising a plant polysaccharide;

    inoculating the pretreated biomass-derived material with a first culture comprising a cellulolytic aerobic microorganism in the presence of oxygen to generate an aerobic broth, wherein the aerobic microorganism is capable of at least partially hydrolyzing the plant polysaccharide;

    incubating the aerobic broth until the cellulolytic aerobic microorganism consumes at least a portion of the oxygen and hydrolyzes at least a portion of the plant polysaccharide, thereby converting the aerobic broth into an anaerobic broth comprising a hydrolysate comprising fermentable sugars;

    inoculating the anaerobic broth with a second culture comprising an anaerobic microorganism capable of converting fermentable sugars into ethanol and other chemicals; and

    fermenting the inoculated anaerobic broth until at least a portion of the fermentable sugars have been converted into ethanol and other chemicals.

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