Saccharification of Sawdust Masses from the Lagos Lagoon in Nigeria with Aspergillus niger Cellulase

• Published in: Pharmaceutical and Biosciences Journal pp. 24 - 31
• Main Authors: JBM Sibiya, NA Ndukwe, JPH van Wyk
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 30.11.2020
• ISSN: 2582-0540; 2582-0540
• DOI: 10.20510/ukjpb/8/i6/1607002257

The Lagos Lagoon in Nigeria is extensively polluted with sawdust produced by hundreds of sawmills located on the banks of the lagoon. In order to develop cellulose as a possible resource of bioenergy different masses of various sawdust materials was exposed to the saccharification action by a fungal cellulase source, Aspergillus niger. Five different masses of delignified and non-delignified sawdust materials have been bio-converted with A. niger cellulase into glucose, a fermentable sugar. The amount of sugar released has increased when increasing masses of waste cellulose was degraded although the percentage saccharification shown a decline when increasing masses was degraded. Delignification of sawdust was effective in terms of sugar production during A. niger cellulase catalyzed degradation as the bio-conversion of all delignified materials produced more sugar than the non-delignified materials. The highest amount of sugar was produced from 10 mg of Pterygota macrocarpa sawdust while the highest percentage of saccharification was calculated at 85% during bio-conversion of 2.0 mg of delignified sawdust from P. macrocarpa. Sawdust along the Lagos Lagoon is a major solid waste product that could be developed as a resource of bio-energy if the cellulose component of this material is effectively saccharified.