Análise comparativa da ação de dois antimicrobianos no processo fermentativo: avaliando relação custo-benefício

Abstract

The Brazilian ethanol and sugar production industry has sugarcane as its main raw material, rich in fermentable sugars, in which the fermentable sugars contained in the sugarcane juice are partially transformed into ethanol. through the process of alcoholic fermentation with the use of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. With countless applications in the market, ethanol is an important input for the development of the country, however, its conventional production process constantly suffers from interferences that can cause the loss of process efficiency, among them, bacterial infection, bad weather of the machinery, during storage and, mainly, due to the loss of yeast cells in the process. When losses in the process are verified, bacterial contamination is considered one of the main causes, therefore, monitoring and proper treatment of the process are essential for maintaining a healthy fermentation process. The control of process conditions with the use of external products is important to minimize losses in ethanol production. The performance analysis was based on the use of two commercial products and different active principles, whose quantifications were elaborated in the Industrial Laboratory of the Cruangi sugar and alcohol unit. Product 1, called Ultranol, had the function of a biocide, where its active function was based on a Dialkyl-methyl-amine, product 2, in turn, called Maxper, had the function of an antibiotic and in its composition Monoensin 11% mycelial. Both products had their performance in reducing contamination evaluated in a controlled fermentation process using data obtained from pH analysis, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), cell viability and contamination values. In this way, the results obtained demonstrate that both products are able to satisfactorily reduce the contamination values of the fermentation process. Mycelial monoensin also showed improvements in cell viability factors, while Ultranol provided a slight increase in the working pH of the medium, without affecting infection values. Despite the reduction of the infection factor and the increase in pH, the use of Ultranol as a biocide for fermentation presents problems related to the byproducts generated after the process, since most of the biocides are highly polluting agents. Therefore, the use of 11% Mycelial Monoensin as an antibacterial agent is more appropriate in terms of cost-effectiveness and the environment.