Continuous ethanol production by immobilized cells of Zymomonas mobilis

Studies have been carried out with a highly productive strain of Zymomonas mobilis in an immobilized cell reactor using both Ca alginate and κ-carrageenan as supporting matrices. Productivities above 50 g/l/h have been found at ethanol concentrations in excess of 60 g/l. With immobilized cells of Z. mobilis, there was a decline of approximately 30s% in activity after 800 h operation.