Production of cellulases from Amazonian fungi and their application in babassu cellulose hydrolysis

Two Amazonian fungi strains — Aspergillus sp. A1C2-06 and Talaromyces verruculosus A1C2-05 — were studied about their potential as cellulase producers and theis applications in the saccharification of sugarcane bagasse and babassu lignocellulosic biomass. For the cellulase production was studied the influence of cultivation parameters during the solid-state fermentation. The best initial pH were 3,0 and 7,0 for T. verruculosus and Aspergillus sp., respectively, and the optimum temperature was 35 °C for both strains. The ideal Mandel’ solution volume was 7,5 ml and 10,0 ml for T. verruculosus and Aspergillus sp., respectively. The optimal conditions during the hydrolysis of filter paper cellulose were determined, being 2,8 the optimal pH for both cellulases and the optimal temperature were 50 °C and 60 °C for Aspergillus sp and T. verruculosus, respectively. The cellulases from both Aspergillus sp and T. verruculosus were capable of hydrolyzing the lignocellulosic biomasses but in different degree of saccharification. The saccharification degree for both pretreated biomasses reached 80% when cellulases from T. verruculosus were applied for 72h, while the untreated biomasses reached only 60% for babassu and 50% for sugarcane bagasse, indicating that the removal of lignin has an important role in the process of biomass saccharification.