In this work, 11 S. cerevisiae strains were screened
for their ability to grow and ferment glucose in a temperature range of 35–45◦C. All the strains grew (in
agar plates) at 35 and 40◦C, only two strains grew at 42◦C, and no strain grew at 45◦C. The yeasts were
placed in a liquid medium, and incubated at 35, 40 and 42◦C. Glucose-to-ethanol conversion yield was
between 50% and 80% of the theoretical value. Strains that produced at least 70% of the theoretical ethanol
yield were submitted to two acclimatization treatments. One pure yeast strain was isolated (IR2-9a). For
bleached kraft pulp as well as organosolv-pretreated Pinus radiata chips, the ethanol yields by SSF using
the IR2-9a strain were higher than those obtained using the control yeast.