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ABSTRACT
Large quantities of waste such as effluents from bio products processing have a negative impact on our environment due to their high toxicity and elimination cost. Corncob waste, banana peel, orange peel and pineapple peel which are undervalued waste materials, can serve as potential sources for cellulase production. The aim of this study was to isolate thermophilic fungi from agrowaste dumpsite leachate, to screen identified fungi for cellulase production capacity, to determine optimum cellulase production during fermentation for 10 days, to determine effects of pH, fermentation time and viable cell count on cellulase production. The thermophillic organism of interest was isolated from a hot region of a dumpsite in Benin City, plated using pour plate method and identified based on morphological and cultural characteristics. Purified isolates were screened for cellulase producing activity and the highest producer was used for further analysis. The standardized organism (Penicillum chrysogenum) was inoculated into each waste medium and incubated at 500C over the course of 10 days. pH, viable cell count and cellulase concentration was determined in 48hr interval. pH was determined using pH meter, viable cell count was determined using pour plate method, while the cellulase concentration was determined using Dinitrosalicylic (DNS) acid method. The highest cellulase concentration was obtained at day 6 with corncob waste medium; at a pH 6.00±0.00 and cell count of 0.565±0.049 x 106 cfu/ml. While the least was obtained with banana waste medium at day 6, with viable cell count of 0.145±0.007 x 10-6 cfu/ml and pH of 5.400±0.141. Findings from this study suggest corncob as the best substrate for cellulase production using Penicillum chrysogenum. Hence, the uprising nature of agro-waste in the environment can be controlled through valorization, specifically into cellulase. From this study agro-waste was utilized as a cost-effective and valuable approach for the production of cellulase enzyme using a thermophilic fungi.
