BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Aerobic & Anaerobic fermentation

BEENISH SARFRAZ

FERMENTATION:
FERMENTATION:

is the conversion of carbohydrates (plant foods) to alcohols

and carbon dioxide, or organic acids, using yeasts, bacteria,
or a combination of that, under anaerobic (no oxygen)
conditions
implies that the action of microorganisms is desirable
complex organic compounds, such as glucose, are broken
down by the action of enzymes into simpler compounds
without the use of oxygen.
Fermentation results in the production of energy in the
form of two ATP molecules, and produces less energy than
the aerobic process of cellular respiration
C6H12O6

2CO2 + 2C2H5OH + 2 ATP

CHEMISTRY OF FERMENTATION:

Fermentati
Fermentati
on
on

Energy difference in
Energy difference in
respiration &
respiration &
fermentation
fermentation

HISTORY:

Thechemistryof fermentation were first investigated

byLouis Pasteurin 1860
He called the processla vie sans air, or life without air
In 1897, Hans and Eduard Beuchner discovered that
fermentation could occur in a cell-free extract of yeast
This work led to the elucidation of the enzymes involved

Micro-organisms involved:
Saccharomyces: ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide
Streptococcus and Lactobacillus: lactic acid
Escherichia coli: acetic acid, succinic acid
Clostridium: butyric acid, butyl alcohol, acetone

ANAEROBIC FERMENTATION:
Conversion of complex organic compounds into
simpler ones in the complete absence of oxygen

Glycolysis:
Before any of the anaerobic fermentation takes place a
process called Glycolysis takes place
It is the conversion of Complex organic compounds like
Glucose into simpler 3C containing compound Pyruvic acid
2 molecules of ATP are produced
This step takes place in the cytosol of the cell

C6H12O6+ 2 ADP + 2 Pi+ 2 NAD++ 2 CH3COCOO+

2 ATP

C6H12O6+ 2 ADP + 2 Pi++ 2 NAD 2 CH3COCOO + 2 ATP

+ 2 NADH + 2 H2O + 2 H +
+ 2 NADH + 2 H2O + 2 H

Summary of Glycolysis

ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION:

Ethanolfermentationconverts two pyruvate molecules, the

products of glycolysis, to two molecules of ethanol and two
molecules of carbon dioxide with the help of Zymase enzyme.

C6H12O6+ Zymase 2 C2H5OH + 2 CO2

LACTIC ACID FERMENTATION:

HOMOLACTIC

In homolactic fermentation,
one molecule of glucose is
converted to two molecules
of lactic acid

C6H12O6 2 CH3CHOHCOOH

HETEROLACTIC

In heterolactic fermentation
one molecule of glucose is
converted to one molecule of
lactic acid, one molecule of
ethanol, and one molecule of
carbon dioxide

C6H12O6 CH3CHOHCOOH + C2H5OH

+ CO2

Overall reaction of Lactic acid fermentation

Aerobic Fermentation:
Aerobic means in the presence of oxygen
Aerobic fermentation is actually wrong term
Organisms use oxygen for the conversion of complex organic
compounds, but process is known as aerobic respiration
Some types of fermentation processes require oxygen
Oxygen is required for the reproduction and growth of
microorganisms (Yeast/Bacteria etc)
Yeast requires oxygen for a number of processes essential for
reproduction
Most fermentation involves the initial introduction of oxygen
to ensure a strong yeast colony is established. And
yeast will ferment without using oxygen even if oxygen is
available

APPLICATIONS:
Fermentation process is used:
To produce antibiotics if no other method is available
To produce ethyl alcohol which can be used as gasohol
To produce alcoholic beverages like beer from barley or wheat
and wine from grapes
Used to store vegetables in the form of pickling
Yogurt is produced by fermentation of milk
Cheese is also produced by the action of yeast on milk
is used in the treatment of wastewater. In the activated sludge
process, aerobicbacteria are used to ferment organic material
in wastewater. Solid wastes are converted to carbon dioxide,
water and mineral salts.