www.ijpab.com 174 A Preliminary Attempt of Ethanol Production from Fig (Ficus carica) and Date (Phoenix dactylifera) Fruits using Saccharomyces cerevisiaes Ramar Krishnamurthy 1 , David Adedayo Animasaun 2 *, Rajashekhar Shivappa Ingalhalli 1 , Nikunjkumar Devechandbhai Ramani 1 1 C. G. Bhakta Institute of Biotechnology, Uka Tarsadia University, Bardoli, Surat (Dist) Gujarat, India 2 Department of Plant Biology, University of Ilorin, P. M. B. 1515, Ilorin, Nigeria *Corresponding Author E-mail: animasaun.ad@unilorin.edu.ng ______________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT Research for new, cheap and abundant agro-raw material for ethanol production remains a contemporary issue in the quest for safe and renewable energy globally, particularly with reference to bio-fuel production. This study evaluates the potentials of Ficus carica (Fig) and Phoenix dactylifera (Date palm) fruits as possible alternative raw materials to food grains for ethanol production. Fig and date palm fruit pulps were fermented in flask on a rotary shaker using Saccharomyces cersvisiaes (NCIM. 3288) obtained from National Collection of Industrial Microorganisms (NCIM) Pune, India. pH and Ethanol yield of the reacting media were determined every 24 hr till 120 hr. At 120 hr, distillation of ethanol from the pulp syrups was carried out at two temperature regimes (80-88, 78-82 o C) and the distilled ethanol purified by sodium hydroxide reaction (NaOH). The results showed that pH decreases as fermentation time increase and ethanol yield increased with increase in fermentation time till 96 hr when optimal yield was attained and subsequently decrease in ethanol yield beyond 96 hr to 120 hr. Both ethanol quantity determination by fermentation (0.95w/v for fig and 1.23w/v for Date fruits) and distillation (8.76% for fig and 10.64% for date fruits) revealed that date fruit yielded more ethanol than fig fruit fermented syrup. However, ethanol obtained and purified from the fruit pulps showed that fig fruit produced purer ethanol than date pulp. The study concluded that both fig and date fruits could be utilised as potential alternative raw material to food grains for bioethanol production. Keywords: bioethanol, distillation, ethanol yield, fermentation, Saccharomyces cersvisiaes. ____________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION As the debate on renewable and clean energy particularly with respect to bio-fuel production continues, the search for new substrates for ethanol production is imperative. Lately, fuel prices are rising along with increase in the demand globally. Consequently, other energy sources like biofuel, and solar energy are increasingly being used as alternative energy sources to mitigate the emission of green house gas and curb global warming. Biofuel are biodegradable, non-toxic and usually free of aromatic and sulphur compounds 1 . Fuel-ethanol production is one of the fastest growing energy industries globally and in the recent time, European Union has given priority to produce bio-ethanol from agricultural residues to reduce fossil oil consumption by 20 % 2 . Similarly, about 30% of the gasoline in the United State is reportedly blended with bio-ethanol 3 . To save premium motor sprit (PMS), the Government of India seeks to implement addition of 10 % ethyl alcohol to gasoline for the full utilization and combustion of gasoline fuel. According to Ward and Singh 4 , bio-ethanol blended with gasoline can reduce vehicle carbon dioxide emissions by 90%. Currently, about 80 % of total world ethanol production is obtained from the fermentation of simple sugars by yeast 5 . Saccharomyces cerevisiae is species of yeast that has been used Available online at www.ijpab.com ISSN: 2320 – 7051 Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 2 (2): 174-180 (2014) INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PURE & APPLIED BIOSCIENCE Research Article