Analysis of the Relationship Between Enzymatic Activity and Microbial Degumming Effect of Kenaf Bast

Abstract

ABSTRACT Degumming is the most important step before kenaf bast fibers used in textile industry. Microbial degumming is an environmental protection and energy-saving technology to replace the conventional chemical degumming. Higher efficiency strains are the essential prerequisite to promote the application of microbial degumming technology. Generally, the screening and evaluation of strains for kenaf bast degumming were based on activity of functional enzymes produced by microorganism. In order to investigate the relationship between enzymatic activity and effect of kenaf bast degumming, strains DCE-01, 1101, B6, B7, and B8 were incubated in pure cultured, sterilized and non-sterilized degumming systems. After culturing for 16 h, functional enzymes for kenaf bast degumming (such as pectinase, neutral protease, xylanase, β-mannanase, laccase, lignin peroxidase and manganese peroxidase) were detected in the supernatant, and degumming effect of kenaf bast under sterilized and non-sterilized systems were evaluated respectively. Results revealed that strain DCE-01 was the best for kenaf bast degumming, though its enzymatic activity was not the highest among five strains. And the pretreatment of kenaf bast by high-pressure-steam sterilization could promote the degumming effect. This study suggested that there were limitations when screening or evaluating high-efficient strains for kenaf bast degumming with the guidance of enzymatic activity.