Coconut Oil Cake Research Articles

Palmitic Acid Synthesis from Coconut Oil Cake Waste using Probiotic Bacteria of Marine Fishes

Palmitic acid is used in cosmetics as well as skin care products, and its extraction from plants remains major source of production. The conventional process of extraction is quite laborious and may lead to loss of plant diversity. Therefore, the current investigation aims at producing palmitic acid from coconut oilcake using probiotics isolated from marine fish. A total of 18 bacterial strains were isolated from Indian oil Sardine fish (Sardinella longiceps) and Obtuse barracuda fish (Sphyraena obtusata). Among various strains isolated, Mm12 strain was able to synthesize 60.57 mg/100mL fatty acids. The production of palmitic acid was optimized using RSM with the most appropriate values of the tested parameters by using Design-Expert 13 to resolve the correlation coefficients binomial equation’s reciprocal matrix as temperature 10°C, pH 5.5, and 40 g oil cake substrate. The highest quantity of palmitic acid that could be produced under ideal circumstances has been estimated to be 19.97 mg/100 mL which was confirmed by GC–MS fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis. Production of palmitic acids from the oil cake was not only a novel method of valorizing industrial waste using probiotic bacteria and but also a promising method of producing palmitate using cheaper substrates.

Identification of Cellulose-Degrading Bacteria and Assessment of Their Potential Value for the Production of Bioethanol from Coconut Oil Cake Waste.

Bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass is a highly promising alternative to rapidly reduce reliance on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions. However, the use of lignocellulosic biomass is limited by the challenges of efficient degradation strategies. Given this need, Bacillus tropicus (B. tropicus) with cellulose degradation ability was isolated and screened from rotten dahlia. The strain efficiently utilized coconut oil cake (COC) to secrete 167.3 U/mL of cellulase activity. Electron microscopy results showed significant changes in the structure and properties of cellulose after treatment with B. tropicus, which increased the surface accessibility and the efficiency of the hydrolysis process. The functional group modification observed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated the successful depolymerization of COC. The X-ray diffraction pattern showed that the crystallinity index increased from 44.8% to 48.2% due to the hydrolysis of the amorphous region in COC. The results of colorimetry also reveal an efficient hydrolysis process. A co-culture of B. tropicus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used to produce ethanol from COC waste, and the maximum ethanol yield was 4.2 g/L. The results of this work show that B. tropicus can be used to prepare biotechnology value-added products such as biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass, suggesting promising utility in biotechnology applications.

Culture of Fresh Water Prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii and Its Cost Benefit Analysis Using Low Cost Feed

Fresh water prawn culture has great potential for rural aquaculture, generating considerable employment and income for rural and poor people. Fresh water prawn farming is environmentally sustainable as it is usually practiced in low stocking density. Fresh water prawn culture has attracted more attention in the recent years due to its export potential and increasing demand as good protein. The seeds of Macrobrachium rosenbergii were collected from Thanjavur breeders and immunized seedling were introduced into the culture ponds. The stocking density 1200 numbers/pond. The size of fingerlings from 4 to 8 cm. The feed were given to the prawn which was consisted of fish meal 20%, soya meal 9%, rice brown 45%, coconut oil cake 20%, tapioca starch 5% and mineral premix 1%. Total body weight of 10% feed every day. The water quality of the culture pond during the period of culture within the range of water quality parameters. In culture pond with an average stocking size of 3-5 g (average 4 g), the growth at the end of six months ranged between 30.5 g and 56.5 g, the average weight being 48.5 g. The total weight of the prawns at the time of harvest was 50.325 kg. The prawns were sold in two lots. The ones with the bigger size 38.5 kg were sold at Rs.650/kg, while the while the smaller prawns weighing 11.8 kg were sold at Rs. 500/kg. The bigger prawns yielded Rs. 25025, while the smaller ones yielded Rs.5900. Thus, the total income from prawn culture yielded Rs.30925. The total expenditure incurred for this culture amounted to Rs.12800. Thus the total profit from this culture worked out to Rs.18125. When this profit is calculated on a monthly basis, it works out to Rs.3020.8 This study proves that culturing M. rosenbergii is profitable even in small ponds which can economically benefit the lives of the local people.

Converting coconut meal into biothermoplastics for industrial applications

AbstractWe present a simple approach to convert coconut (copra) oil cake into biothermoplastics with properties that are suitable for replacing synthetic polymer‐based plastics in current use. About 1.9 million tons of copra meal are generated ever year as coproducts and are available at $0.50–$0.60 per kilogram, making it a renewable, sustainable and low‐cost raw material. Despite containing proteins, carbohydrates and oil, there are limited non‐food applications of oil meals since most oil meals are typically non‐thermoplastic and hence difficult to be processed into bioproducts. In this study, we report the processing of copra meal into biothermoplastics in the presence of various plasticizers, heat and pressure. Compression molded films and bioproducts were developed from copra meal by heating at 130°C in the presence of glycerol, coconut oil or cashew shell oil as plasticizer. The films obtained had tensile strength of up to 4.4 MPa and were inherently stable in water. A one‐step crosslinking with citric acid was done to further improve the strength and stability of the films. With large availability at low cost, copra meal provides an opportunity to develop low‐cost, biodegradable, edible and innovative bioproducts that have the potential to replace the synthetic polymer‐based plastics in current use, particularly single‐use plastics.

Impact of Integrated Ultra Violet-Ozone Treatment on Textural and Structural Properties of Dough Made of Natural Fiber Based Agro Residues

ABSTRACT In this study, de-oiled rice bran (RB) and virgin coconut oil cake (VCOC) were selected as base materials. Corn starch, wheat bran, and guar gum were taken as binding agents. The doughs were treated with combined Ultraviolet (UV) (1000 μW/cm2 for 15 min) and Aqueous Ozone (AO) (3 mg/L, exposure time 5 min and pH of 4). The effect of these non-thermal treatments on microbial log reduction, textural characteristics, glass transition (Tg), and crystallinity was studied and compared with the control. The results for all samples, dough raising capacities differed widely by 10–30%. Bulk Density and True Density were 1.6 to 2.5 g/cm3 and 2.3 to 3.3 g/cm3. X-Ray Diffraction indicated 30–45% crystallinity, and crystallite size ranges between 0.54 and 0.90 nm. DSC indicated Tg and melting point between 49°C-55°C and 98°C-101°C for RB dough and at 54°C-60°C and 107°C-134°C for VCOC dough samples. UV with AO treated dough showed a maximum of 5.2 log microbial reduction compared to the untreated sample. The developed RB and wheat bran combination demonstrated the highest tensile strength (0.62 MPa) whereas RB-starch combination had the minimum water absorption (1.33 ml/min). This indicates the ability of additives to improve the characteristics of biodegradable cutlery made from agricultural residues.

Screening of cellulose-degrading yeast and evaluation of its potential for degradation of coconut oil cake.

Coconut oil cake (COC), a byproduct of oil extraction, contains high levels of cellulose. The aim of this study was to isolate a cellulose-degrading yeast from rotten dahlia that can effectively use COC as the only carbon source for cellulase secretion. Based on screening, Meyerozyma guillermondii CBS 2030 (M. guillermondii) was identified as a potential candidate, with the highest cellulolytic activity among the yeast strains isolated, with the carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) activity reaching 102.96 U/mL on day 5. The cellulose in COC samples was evaluated before and after degradation by M. guillermondii. Analysis based on field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) revealed that the COC structure was changed significantly during the treatment, indicating effective hydrolysis. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of the modified functional groups indicated successful depolymerization of coconut cake. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and analysis of color differences established effective degradation of COC by M. guillermondii. The results demonstrate that M. guillermondii effectively secretes CMCase and degrades cellulose, which has important practical significance in COC degradation.

The advantages of co-digestion of vegetable oil industry by-products and sewage sludge: Biogas production potential, kinetic analysis and digestate valorisation.

The production of edible vegetable oils generates considerable amounts of energy-rich waste, which is usually not utilised fully. Besides, inefficient management of such wastes can have a negative impact on the environment. On the other hand, this waste can also serve as a raw material for the production of high value-added products, such is biogas. The mono-digestion of seven different by-products and wastes from the vegetable oil industry was investigated in this study: Pumpkin seeds press cake (PSPC), grape seeds press cake (GSPC), olive mill pomace (OMP), coconut oil cake (CC), filtration additive (FA), spent bleaching earth (SBE) and sludge from a vegetable oil industry (SOI) wastewater treatment plant. In addition, co-digestion of these substrates was performed with municipal sewage sludge (SS). Besides inoculum, rumen fluid was added to the reactors to enhance biogas production. The biogas production potential of the tested substrates was monitored by measuring various parameters. A kinetic analysis was later carried out and a growth test was performed on the digestates to evaluate their potential for agricultural use. The highest biogas yields in the mono-digestion test were obtained with the substrates with the highest fat content: 1402, 1288, 830 and 750mL of biogas/gVS for SOI, FA, PSPC and CC substrate, respectively. Co-digestion of SS with by-products of vegetable oil industry such as FA, SBE, CC, SOI and PSPC increased the biogas yields by 94.9%, 74.1%, 30.8%, 27.4% and 23.6% compared to SS mono-digestion. Furthermore, the data for mono-digestion of PSPC, GSPC, and FA, and co-digestion of SS with these substrates, CC and SBE, have not been found in the literature to date. The maximum methane content ranged from 61 to 74vol%, while the chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency ranged from 42 to 78%. Relatively high fatty acids contents and ammonium concentrations were measured in the reactors. Kinetic analysis showed the best fit to the experimental data for the Cone kinetic model (R2>0.98). The First order kinetic model, Monod, and the modified Gompertz model also exhibited high R2 values. The digestates obtained from co-digestion proved to be excellent in the cress seeds growth test at digestate concentrations of 5-10wt%, while higher concentrations had a toxic effect.

Bioconversion of lignocellulosic wastes to zwitterionic biosurfactants by an alkaliphilic bacterium: Process development and product characterization

The bioconversion of lignocellulosic wastes to value-added biosurfactants was investigated using a single flask to carry out both substrate pretreatment and biosurfactant production. Lignocellulosic wastes were added to an alkaline medium and autoclaved, which led to a combined alkaline and hydrothermal pretreatment. For biosurfactant production, alkaliphilic Brevibacterium casei NK8 was added to the medium without pH neutralization. Among several lignocellulosic wastes, the media with corn husk, coconut oil cake, and defatted rice bran gave the highest biosurfactant concentrations (1.14–1.32 g L−1). These wastes provided a relatively high concentration of soluble substrates in the pretreated liquid, while solid residues swelled. The bacterium could use the pretreated liquid and solid residues for growth and biosurfactant production. The produced biosurfactants in cell-free broth could be applied directly or after lignin removal. The residual lignin decreased biosurfactant performance in terms of surface tension, contact angle, and oil displacement; conversely, lignin enhanced the biosurfactant emulsification capacity. Cell-free broths with and without lignin were appropriate for different tasks. Biosurfactants synthesized from different lignocellulosic wastes were similar and were identified as a mixture of zwitterionic lipopeptides and phospholipids. The surface tension of the crude biosurfactant solution was extremely low, ranging between 25.9 and 27.6 mN m−1 over a wide range of pH values (1–11), salinities (2–10% NaCl), and temperatures (4–121 °C). In addition, biosurfactants as crude solution and cell-free broth with lignin showed lower phytotoxicity than the commercial surfactant Tween 80. These findings suggest a convenient method for manufacturing biosurfactants from lignocellulosic wastes.

Effect of glycerol on the properties of coconut oil cake reinforced poly(lactic acid)

The effect of the addition of 10-25 wt% coconut oil cake (COC) on the properties of poly (lactic acid) (PLA) was studied. PLA/COC (80/20) composite showed better mechanical properties and higher thermal stability than PLA. Glycerol used as a plasticizer further improved tensile and flexural mechanical properties, as well as the impact strength and the ability to suppress noise.

Amylase Production by Aspergillus niger and Penicillium Species by Solid-State and Submerged Cultivation Using Two Food Industrial Wastes

Amylase enzymes are starch degrading enzymes and have received a great deal of attention due to their perceived technology importance and economic benefit. Amylase enzymes are considered important enzymes used in starch processing industries for the hydrolysis of polysaccharides like starch into simple sugar constituents. This enzyme is also involved in the commercial production of glucose. Solid-state cultivation and submerged cultivation have tremendous potentials for enzyme amylase production by using different solid substrates like rice bran, wheat bran, coconut oil cake, and groundnut oil cake which are rich in starch. These agro-industrial wastes are considered cheap raw materials for the production of amylase. Wastewater from the industry like brewery can also be used as a liquid substrate for submerged cultivation. It may have the possibility of depurination of wastewater. In the present study, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium species were isolated and their amylase activity was determined by the starch hydrolysis method. Enzyme production was done by using coconut oil cake as a substrate for solid-state fermentation and brewery wastewater as a substrate for submerged fermentation. The enzyme produced by the organisms was extracted and enzyme assay was done by the Dinitrisalicilic method (DNS method). The protein estimation was done by Lowry Folin’s method. The qualitative assay was carried out by performing Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS).

Optimization and scale-up of \u03b1-amylase production by Aspergillus oryzae using solid-state fermentation of edible oil cakes

BackgroundAmylases produced by fungi during solid-state fermentation are the most widely used commercial enzymes to meet the ever-increasing demands of the global enzyme market. The use of low-cost substrates to curtail the production cost and reuse solid wastes are seen as viable options for the commercial production of many enzymes. Applications of α-amylases in food, feed, and industrial sectors have increased over the years. Additionally, the demand for processed and ready-to-eat food has increased because of the rapid growth of food-processing industries in developing economies. These factors significantly contribute to the global enzyme market. It is estimated that by the end of 2024, the global α-amylase market would reach USD 320.1 million (Grand View Research Inc., 2016). We produced α-amylase using Aspergillus oryzae and low-cost substrates obtained from edible oil cake, such as groundnut oil cake (GOC), coconut oil cake (COC), sesame oil cake (SOC) by solid-state fermentation. We cultivated the fungus using these nutrient-rich substrates to produce the enzyme. The enzyme was extracted, partially purified, and tested for pH and temperature stability. The effect of pH, incubation period and temperature on α-amylase production using A. oryzae was optimized. Box–Behnken design (BBD) of response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize and determine the effects of all process parameters on α-amylase production. The overall cost economics of α-amylase production using a pilot-scale fermenter was also studied.ResultsThe substrate optimization for α-amylase production by the Box–Behnken design of RSM showed GOC as the most suitable substrate for A. oryzae, as evident from its maximum α-amylase production of 9868.12 U/gds. Further optimization of process parameters showed that the initial moisture content of 64%, pH of 4.5, incubation period of 108 h, and temperature of 32.5 °C are optimum conditions for α-amylase production. The production increased by 11.4% (10,994.74 U/gds) by up-scaling and using optimized conditions in a pilot-scale fermenter. The partially purified α-amylase exhibited maximum stability at a pH of 6.0 and a temperature of 55 °C. The overall cost economic studies showed that the partially purified α-amylase could be produced at the rate of Rs. 622/L.ConclusionsThe process parameters for enhanced α-amylase secretion were analyzed using 3D contour plots by RSM, which showed that contour lines were more oriented toward incubation temperature and pH, having a significant effect (p < 0.05) on the α-amylase activity. The optimized parameters were subsequently employed in a 600 L-pilot-scale fermenter for the α-amylase production. The substrates were rich in nutrients, and supplementation of nutrients was not required. Thus, we have suggested an economically viable process of α-amylase production using a pilot-scale fermenter.

Utilisation of oil-based waste for biosurfactant production

Chemical surfactants produced in large amounts globally have severe adverse effects on environment and human health due to their non-degradable and toxic nature. Eco-friendly biosurfactants with high stability, biodegradability, and low toxicity are the need of the hour. However, biosurfactants are less preferred due to high substrate cost and cumbersome extraction process. This study focused on repurposing of lipid-rich waste like coconut oil cake, rice husk and used cooking oil as a substrate for bacterial biosurfactant production. P. aeruginosa and B. subtilis were evaluated for production and P. aeruginosa was found to be an efficient biosurfactant producer. Among the substrates, coconut oil cake gave maximum yield of 19 mg/ml. The study also focussed on optimisation of biosurfactant extraction using organic solvents and precipitation methods. The yield obtained was maximum using chloroform and methanol (2:1) extraction method. The product obtained was characterised using standard methods and confirmed for its properties. It also exhibited promising antimicrobial activity against gram-positive species.

Utilisation of oil-based waste for biosurfactant production

Chemical surfactants produced in large amounts globally have severe adverse effects on environment and human health due to their non-degradable and toxic nature. Eco-friendly biosurfactants with high stability, biodegradability, and low toxicity are the need of the hour. However, biosurfactants are less preferred due to high substrate cost and cumbersome extraction process. This study focused on repurposing of lipid-rich waste like coconut oil cake, rice husk and used cooking oil as a substrate for bacterial biosurfactant production. P. aeruginosa and B. subtilis were evaluated for production and P. aeruginosa was found to be an efficient biosurfactant producer. Among the substrates, coconut oil cake gave maximum yield of 19 mg/ml. The study also focussed on optimisation of biosurfactant extraction using organic solvents and precipitation methods. The yield obtained was maximum using chloroform and methanol (2:1) extraction method. The product obtained was characterised using standard methods and confirmed for its properties. It also exhibited promising antimicrobial activity against gram-positive species.

Valorization of low-cost agro-wastes residues for the maximum production of protease and lipase haloextremozymes by Haloferax lucentensis GUBF-2 MG076078

Agro-food wastes rich in macronutrients are a replacement for expensive carbon and nitrogen sources used for enzyme production. In the present study, we aimed to valorize low-cost agro-wastes for the simultaneous production of protease and lipase haloextremozyme using Haloferax lucentensis GUBF-2 MG076078, characterization of agro-waste residues, and to apply haloextremozyme as Bio-additive in detergent formulation. It was observed that GUBF-2 efficiently hydrolyzed nine different agro-wastes with shrimp waste, and coconut oil cake yielded the highest protease (101.9 U/mL) and lipase (5.83 U/mL), respectively, under optimized conditions of 30 % NaCl, pH 6, and 42 °C. Further, SDS-PAGE of cell-free fermented agro-wastes revealed peptides from 212 to 34.6 kDa. Hydrolysates functioned as DPPH radical scavengers with maxima for shrimp waste (45.0 ± 1.15 %). SEM manifested structural alteration of fermented residues. FTIR showed degradation of proteins observed as 1640−1652 and 840−881 cm−1 absorptions with a fading peak at 1742 cm−1 indicating triacylglyceride hydrolysis. Furthermore, haloextremozyme-bio-additive detergent formulation efficiently removed 67.6 ± 3.19 % oil and 61.0 ± 3.60 % blood stains than 0.5 % Triton X-100. Conclusively, Haloferax lucentensis GUBF-2 MG076078 is a prospective strain for simultaneous protease and lipase haloextremozyme production from agro-food wastes, considering both cost efficiency and associated waste disposal problems.

Aspergillus niger Str 3 and Neurospora sitophila for phytase production on coconut oil cake supplemented with rice brand in solid-state fermentation

The use of phytase as a feed supplement is getting popular. However, the production system of this enzyme should be optimized to reduce production cost. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of 10 fungi isolates i.e., Aspergillus niger (5 isolates), and Neurospora crassa InaCC F226 to produce phytase, and select best phytase producer for phytase production on coconut oil cake supplemented with rice brand in solid-state fermentation. A. niger Str3 and N. sitophila produced phytase of 4.6 and 3.4 unit respectively were selected for phytase production owing to its ability to produce phytase in submerging fermentation with glucose as the primary carbon sources. These potential isolates were then used for phytase production on coconut oil cake supplemented with rice brand in solid-state fermentation. The effect of inoculants type, initial moisture content, and additional carbon sources were evaluated to obtain the optimum condition for phytase production. Media contained coconut oil cake supplemented with rice brand at a ratio of 20 to 50% could be used for phytase production. Initial moisture content and incubation time affect phytase production. Optimum initial moisture content was about 60-70%. This work concludes A. niger and N. sithophyla were good inoculant for phytase production using formulated media contained coconut oil cake and rice brand in solid-state fermentation.

Optimization of processing variables for the development of virgin coconut oil cake based extruded snacks

AbstractVirgin coconut oil (VCO) is a value added export‐oriented coconut product. One of the major by‐products of VCO called as VCO cake is a rich source of protein (15%) which is presently underutilized. The effect of important variables including percent of VCO cake (20–30%), screw speed (300–350 rpm) and feed moisture (14–18%) on physical, pasting, functional, textural, and sensory attributes of VCO cake based extruded snacks were estimated using Box and Behnken Design. The responses studied were expansion ratio, bulk density, peak viscosity, hardness, water solubility index, water absorption index and overall acceptability of sensory attributes. The optimized conditions obtained for the extrudates were 28.7% VCO cake, 14% feed moisture, and 300 rpm screw speed with the maximum desirability of 0.88. The percentage of protein, carbohydrate, crude fiber, and ash in the optimized sample were 11.14, 74.19, 1.58, and 2.3%, respectively. The promising results suggest that addition of VCO cake has improved the protein content of the extrudates with high consumer acceptability.Practical applicationVirgin coconut oil (VCO) is a leading value‐added product of coconut. Among the different production methods of VCO, hot processed VCO has more functional compounds such as polyphenols, antioxidants, and phytosterols. Hence, it is mainly used to consume orally. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)‐Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod, India, has been transferred the VCO production technology to about 30 entrepreneurs from the last 5 years. The mean recovery of VCO cake during hot process VCO production is estimated at 6.3–8.8% of fresh kernel weight (i.e., 1 kg kernel give 63–88 g VCO cake) of the WCT coconut variety. VCO cake is a rich source of protein. By selling this by‐product in the form of extrudates would definitely give more income to the entrepreneurs apart from residue management. The results indicated that 28.7% VCO cake in the extruded formulation gave a nutritious product with a calorific value of 388 imparted with the natural sweetness of VCO cake.

Bioconversion of sago effluent and oil cakes for bio-butanol production using environmental isolates

ABSTRACTSago processing spent waste disposal causes severe impact on agriculture soil surface water, and air. Bio-coversion of sago waste to fuel would be eco-friendly approach and recover the energy remaining in the spent waste. The present research foucses on the production of butanol using Enterococcus hirae novel strain shown resistant to 4% of butanol. Butanol production capacity of isolate was found to be 5.70+0.06g/L and this was increased to 6.95+g/L when it was optimized with coconut oil cake (13%), sago effluent (40%), glucose, tryptone, 37 C and pH 7.0. The results are promosing and sago spent waste can be used as cheaper subtrate for the sustaible produciton of bio-butanol.

Physicochemical and functional properties of protein concentrate from by-product of coconut processing

Coconut cake, a by-product from milk and oil extractions, contains a high amount of protein. Protein extraction from coconut milk cake and coconut oil cake was investigated. The supernatant and precipitate protein powders from both coconut milk and oil cakes were compared based on their physicochemical and functional properties. Glutelin was the predominant protein fraction in both coconut cakes. Protein powders from milk cake presented higher water and oil absorption capacities than those from oil cake. Both protein powders from oil cake exhibited better foaming capacity and a better emulsifying activity index than those from milk cake. Coconut proteins were mostly solubilized in strong acidic and alkaline solutions. Minimum solubility was observed at pH 4, confirming the isoelectric point of coconut protein. Therefore, the coconut residues after extractions might be a potential alternative renewable plant protein source to use asa food ingredient to enhance food nutrition and quality.

Low Molecular Weight Xylanase from Trichoderma viride VKF3 for Bio-bleaching of Newspaper Pulp

Xylanase is a major enzyme used in the paper and pulp industries for bio-bleaching applications. There are possibilities for xylanase with better properties suitable for industrial applications. This paper focused on a potential xylanolytic fungus, Trichoderma viride VKF-3, obtained from a mangrove soil sample. Optimum conditions for xylanase production were tested by culturing T. viride VKF3 under varying carbon and nitrogen sources, medium pH, and incubation temperature. The isolate T. viride VKF3 achieved a maximum of 3.045 IU/mL of xylanase activity by utilizing coconut oil cake as a substrate. During purification, 84% yield was obtained with 40% ammonium sulphate. The enzyme activity was confirmed through zymogram analysis, and a band was observed at 14 kDa. The xylanase facilitated maximum hexenuronic acid release with a 30% enzyme dosage following 4 h of incubation. Moreover, the Kappa number tended to decrease with increased enzyme dosage and incubation time. There was a Δ brightness of 11% following 4 h of enzymatic treatment. Strength properties, such as the tensile, burst indices, and folding endurance, was improved during the xylanase assisted deinking of pulp. Hence, the present xylanase was found to be suitable for the bio-bleaching of newspaper waste via an eco-friendly process.

Utilization of Agro-Industry Residue for Rhamnolipid Production by P. aeruginosa AMB AS7 and Its Application in Chromium Removal.

Coconut oil sludge and oil cake was utilized as carbon source for biosurfactant production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa AMB AS7. The results of optimization study revealed that 1.5% (w/v) of coconut oil cake, 2% (w/v) of coconut oil sludge, pH7.2, 37°C, and 120rpm were the optimum conditions for biosurfactant production. The yield coefficient of biosurfactant on biomass (Y P/X ) was 1.29g/g. Besides, the results indicated that aeration of 0.5vvm and agitation of 450rpm in bioreactor resulted in high volumetric productivity of biosurfactant (r p ) and specific product formation rate (q p ) of 0.115g/(Lh) and 0.0131g/(gh), respectively in medium containing 2% (w/v) coconut oil sludge. The maximum biosurfactant concentration of 5.53g/L was obtained during 60h of cultivation. The emulsification index (EI24) against coconut oil was found to be 88.42±0.5%, and cell surface hydrophobicity of P. aeruginosa AMB AS7 was obtained 32.4±0.9%. FTIR and GC-MS analysis revealed that the biosurfactant is rhamnolipid with anionic charge. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of rhamnolipid was found to be 50mg/L. It was found that 66.95% of chromium from aqueous solution can be removed using rhamnolipid at its CMC.