The effects of the initial pH and air supply on the production of ethanol from D-xylose using the yeast Candida shehatae in a batch reactor were investigated. The initial pH was altered within the range of 2.5-6.5 and the specific aeration rate from 0.0-0.3 v v(-1) min(-1). The results showed that the most favorable initial pH for ethanol production was 4.5 and aeration via the stirring vortex of the bioreactor was sufficient. Under these conditions, the maximum specific growth rate (mu(m)) was 0.329 h(-1); biomass production rate (b), 0.024 kg m(-3) h(-1); overall biomass yield (Y-x/s(G)), 0.036 kg kg(-1); the specific uptake rate of D-xylose (q(s)), 2.0 kg kg(-1) h(-1); and the specific ethanol production rate (q(E)) 0.72 kg kg(-1) h(-1) (both at 20 h culture time). The average xylitol yield (Y-xy/s) was 0.078 kg kg(-1) and the overall ethanol yield (Y-E/s(G)), 0.41 kg kg(-1). Both q(s) and q(E) diminished once the exponential growth phase was over.