INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY LAB (BIOTECH301L)

PRELIM ACTIVITY 6. ETHYL ALCOHOL FERMENTATION

Answer the following problem.

An alcoholic fermentation was performed in the laboratory using glucose as substrate with a
working volume of 1.5 L. After 5 days of fermentation, 17% by volume C 2H5O was produced.
Assuming that the sugar is completely fermented to ethanol and no volume changed during
fermentation. Calculate the following:
1. Volume (L) of C2H5OH. The density of ethyl alcohol is 0.79 g/mL.
2. Mass (g) of C2H5OH.
3. Moles of a) C6H12O6, b) C2H5OH, and c) CO2.
4. Mass (g) of C6H12O6 used as substrate.
5. Volume of carbon dioxide in liters produced. 1 mole of an ideal gas is equal to 22.4 L at
standard temperature and pressure (STP).

Chemical reaction of ethyl alcohol fermentation:

C6H12O6(aq) ----> 2 C2H5OH(aq) + 2 CO2(g)

Computation:

Given:
Mole of
1. & 2. Volume of ethyl alcohol in liters produced.
Given:
Density: 0.79 g/mL
Formula Weight of C2H5OH: 46.07 g/mol C2H5OH
Solution:

Mass (g) of C2H5OH:

46.07 g /mol C5 H 5 OH
moles C 5 H 5 OH x =g C5 H 5 OH
1 mole C5 H 5 OH

Density:
 m
D=
v

M
V=
D

g C5 H 5 OH
V=
0.79 g /mol

V =mLC5 H 5 OH

3. Moles
a.