Effect of alkaline and steam pre-treatment on saccharification of corn cob and production of cellullase from fungal consortium

Abstract

Lignocellulosic biomass as fossil fuel alternative comes with its challenges such as its inherent stability and recalcitrance. The use of commercial cellulase in the removal of lignin comes with high cost. This research seeks to answer questions on how alkaline and steam pre-treatment improve cellulose/glucose liberation from lignocellulosic biomass (corn cobs) using a consortium of <i>pichia kudriavzevii</i> and <i>cyberlindnera fabianii.</i><br /> In the current study, the effectiveness of steam and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) pre-treatment for reducing corn cob structure was examined, and the pre-treated biomass afterwards was exposed to the hydrolyzing activity of a consortium enzyme cocktail that was custom-formulated. The results of an analysis of composition showed that while alkaline pre-treated corn cob (APC) had 1.2% lignin, 75.8% cellulose, and 10.9% hemicellulose, steam pre-treated corn cob (SPC) had 2.5% lignin, 67.2% cellulose, and 25% hemicellulose. Lignin was eliminated from the biomass of corn cobs using both steam and NaOH pre-treatment. The hydrolyzing effect of the holocellulolytic enzyme cocktail, prepared with two multifunctional enzymes, was applied to the alkaline and steam pre-treated samples. This hydrolyzed SPCs more effectively than APC feedstocks, revealing that steam was a more effective pre-treatment attaining a remarkable 8.33 U/mg endoglucanase, 5.56 U/mg exoglycanase and 8.97U/mg beta-glucosidase levels (event 1) and glucose peak concentration of 0.433 mol/mL at 48 hours (event 2); according to a thorough examination of cellulase capacity and glucose levels.<br /> Overall, the consortium enzyme cocktail effectively hydrolyzed agricultural feedstocks that had undergone alkaline pre-treatment, making it a desirable option for usage in the bioconversion procedure in the biorefinery sector. This study demonstrates an effective technique for turning agricultural waste (corn cob) into high-value products through effective and practical chemical pre-processing.