Ms. Umikalsom et al., THE TREATMENT OF OIL PALM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCH FIBER FOR SUBSEQUENT USE AS SUBSTRATE FOR CELLULASE PRODUCTION BY CHAETOMIUM-GLOBOSUM KUNZE, Bioresource technology, 62(1-2), 1997, pp. 1-9
The feasibility of using treated oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fi
bre as a substrate for cellulase production by Chaetomium globosum Kun
ze was studied using a shaking flask fermentation system. The use of 2
-mm chemically untreated OPEFB fibre increased cellulase production by
about two times compared to 10-mm fibre. The effect of the different
chemicals (NaOH, HCl, HNO3, EDA and EDTA) on the 2-mm fibre was also i
nvestigated. Treatment with these chemicals significantly (P < 0.05) i
ncreased the cellulose and reduced the lignin contents. Fermentation u
sing OPEFB fibre treated with HNO3 (0.5% v/v) gave the highest cellula
se production and this was related to its high cellulose content. Cell
ulase production increased further when autoclaved (121 degrees C, 15
psi for 5 min), chemically treated OPEFB fibre was used. When autoclav
ed 2-mm OPEFB fibre treated with HNO3 was used as a substrate, the max
imum FPase activity and yield obtained were 0.95 U ml(-1) and 120.7 U
g(-1) cellulose, respectively. The cellulase produced by C. globosum c
ontained a high proportion of beta-glucosidase. The ratio of specific
activity of beta-glucosidase to FPase was about 8. The production of a
ll three major components of cellulase (endoglucanase, cellobiohydrola
se and beta-glucosidase) using pretreated OPEFB fibre were about three
times higher than those obtained in fermentations using pure cellulos
e (Avicel and carboxymethylcellulose). (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier
Science Ltd.