Patent ID: 8143040

Claim:
A process for whole cell saccharification of lignocelluloses to sugars using a dual bioreactor system comprising the following steps: immobilizing lignocellulose degrading bacteria on biomass, wherein the bacteria constitute a bacterial consortium selected from natural lignocellulose degrading bacteria enriched from cultures inoculated with paper mill waste water, wood processing waste or soil; packing biomass with culture in the top partition of the first column reactor; packing celite in the bottom partition of the first column reactor, which is separated from biomass by a fine screen; continuously filling the first column with the enrichment basal medium, as the process progresses, some of the enzymes freed from the bacterial isolate trickling down to the second partition with porous celite, and getting trapped in celite; further circulating the product stream from the first column to a second column reactor, the second reactor comprising nano biocarriers, providing increased surface area for enzyme immobilization; and collecting sugar from the second reactor to be fermented to ethanol.