PRODUCTION, OPTIMIZATION AND DEINKING CAPACITY OF ALKALINE CELLULASE PRODUCED FROM MUCOR CIRCINELLOIDES WSSDBS2F1

An alkaliphilic Mucor circinelloides WSSDBS2F1 strain, with the ability to produce endoglucanase and exoglucanase enzymes, was isolated from decomposing bagasse, originating from a sugar processing mill in Punjab, India, and then screened. A pH range of 7-11, temperature of 30-60 °C, incubation period of 4-12 days, different lignocellulosic waste and nitrogen sources were investigated for optimum production of cellulase enzyme. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was the statistical tool used for optimization of endoglucanase and exoglucanase production, following the one-factor-at-a-time approach. The optimized endoglucanase was further evaluated for its ability to deink waste paper, compared to chemical deinking. It was found that the enzymatically deinked pulp had high ISO brightness, tensile, burst and tearing strength, as compared to chemically deinked and control pulps. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were also used to confirm the action of the endoglucanase enzyme on waste paper.