In the bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass to useful chemicals, pretreatment of the material prior to hydrolysis is necessary. The aim of the present study was to develop a method to reduce the energy costs of lignocellulosic biomass treatment with white rot fungi. We developed a novel contaminant mold suppressing method combining the food preservative Vitagen AS5N (thiamine dilauryl sulfate) and low temperature steam sterilization (80 °C for 15 min). First, heat-resistant contaminant molds were isolated from sugarcane bagasse (Saccharum officinarum L.) sterilized at 80 °C, and a difference in sensitivity to Vitagen AS5N (200, 300, 500, and 1000 μg/mL, at pH 5.2 and 9.0) was observed between the isolated contaminant molds and white rot fungi. The sugarcane bagasse was subsequently impregnated with Vitagen AS5N solution (500 or 1000 μg/mL at pH 9.0), which did not affect the white rot fungi but suppressed the contaminant molds, and autoclaved at 80 °C. The sterilized sugarcane bagasse medium was inoculated with three types of white rot fungi, and the enzymatic saccharification yield of fungal bagasse was determined after 8 weeks. High enzymatic saccharification yields were attained with each fungal bagasse: 79.5 and 76.2 % for Ceriporiopsis subvermispora (500 and 1000 μg/mL Vitagen AS5N), 80.1 and 79.5 % for Lentinus edodes, and 74.5 and 78.1 % for Coriolus versicolor. These enzymatic saccharification yields were similar to that of normal fungal bagasse. The results indicated that the proposed combination method may potentially reduce the energy required for the treatment of lignocellulosic biomass with white rot fungi.
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