Question

In the anaerobic fermentation of grain, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae digests glucose from plants to form the products ethanol and propenoic acid by the following overall reactions:

Reaction 1: C₆H₁₂O₆ → 2C₂H₅OH + 2CO₂

Reaction 2: C₆H₁₂O₆ → 2C₂H₃CO₂H + 2H₂O

In an open flow reactor 3500 kg of a 12% glucose-water solution flow in. During fermentation, 120 kg of carbon dioxide are produced together with 90 kg of unreacted glucose. What are the weight percents of ethyl alcohol and propenoic acid that exit in the broth? Assume that none of the glucose is assimilated into the bacteria.

Answer 1