| The aim of this research was to develop a process for the production of less expensive and more effective cellulases for biomass conversion primarily by finding cellulase inducers. Various inducers were produced and investigated for cellulase production by Trichoderma, reesei Rut C-30, including pretreated waste papers, pine wood chips, starch and whole wheat flour sometimes with supplementation by wheat bran, sorbose, mannose or lactose. The cellulases they induced were tested by saccharifying paper under standard conditions. The amount of paper saccharified by cellulase induced by 1 g of modified waste newspaper, starch and whole wheat flour was 16 g, 15 g and 13 g respectively.This research represents the first known investigation of cellulase production using soluble inducers derived from grain. It is believed that cellulase production on inducers derived from whole wheat flour is feasible and would provide opportunities for significant improvement of process technologies of cellulase production. This research also represents the first extensive investigation of cellulase production using waste newspaper which may have a significant advantage when waste paper is employed as a feedstock for ethanol production.The inducing ability of the acid-hydrolysed whole wheat flour or starch was at least as high as that of purified cellulose, the "best" inducer previously reported. The cellulases produced in this research was at least as effective as the most widely accepted commercial cellulases.The relationship between the nature of inducers and cellulase production was investigated. The high content of glucobioses in the starch or wheat hydrolysates contributed to their high inducing ability. The "real" inducers in these hydrolysates probably included isomaltose and trehalose as well as sophorose, Methods to enhance cellobiase activity in cellulase preparations were also studied. Sorbose was effective with acid hydrolysed wheat flour and partially saccharified newspaper. Addition of sorbose at a late stage of cellulase production by acid hydrolysed wheat flour increased cellobiase activity by 89% and filter paper activity by 47%. |
