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Abstract: Banana besides its nutritive value the germplasms of economic importance. North east
biomass can be used as resources for natural fibre. India has a vast potential of extraction and value
North east India and Assam in particular has a vast addition of natural fibre, especially from banana.
potential of extraction and value addition of India is the largest banana producer in the world.
natural fibre, especially from banana. Banana The edible bananas constitute 43 % of world
farming generates huge quantities of biomass most production. The fruit has 22.2 % carbohydrate, 1.1
of which goes as waste due to non‐availability of % protein, 0.84 % fibre, 0.2 % fat and 75.7% water.
suitable technology for its commercial utilization. It is rich in vitamin B6, potassium and has lots of
Banana fibre can be extracted by different methods medicinal properties. After harvesting, the
viz. chemical, mechanical and biological by which pseudostem of banana is disposed as a waste
heavily coated, non‐cellulosic gummy material material. However, natural bast fiber can be
from the cellulosic part of plant fibers get removed obtained from the pseudo stem, fronds and rachis.
and render them clean and spinnable. Among these It is a lignocellulosic material mainly consists of
eco‐friendly biological methods are preferable as polysaccharides with cellulose microfibrils
chemical methods causes environmental pollution embedded with hemicelluloses, lignin, pectin and
and mechanical method fails to remove the gummy water soluble components [8, 12, 29]. Banana
material sufficiently from the fibre bundle surface pseudostem contains- 59.18 % cellulose, 17.5 %
besides high energy input. In contrast, the hemicellulose, 54.6% Alpha-cellulose, 1.4% ash
enzymatic degumming serves as a good alternative and 18.2 % lignin[17]. The lignocellulosic content
to reduce pollution and cause less fibre damage. of the banana sheath is in the range of 60%–85% of
Pectinolytic enzymes have been applied to the its dry weight. The fibre content of the above
degumming of other natural fibers of textile material is 54.3% and can be effectively used as a
importance viz. jute, sunn hemp, flax, ramie and source of natural fibres.
coconut fibres. Pectinases are a group of enzymes
produced by a large number of microorganisms Natural cellulose based fibres are increasingly
including filamentous fungi which contribute to the gaining importance for new composite formulation
breakdown of pectic materials. In the present study and enhancement of their mechanical properties
62 different fungal strains were isolated from [16, 28] with their wide range of application. In
banana pseudo stem and soil samples. Out of only comparison to synthetic fibres the natural fibres are
13 strains were found as positive for pectinase with numerous advantages like it arise from their
production. Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus renewability, low cost, wide availability and
fumigatus strains showed higher pectinolytic stiffness etc [23].
activity on pectin plate assay on dried banana
pseudostem as substrate for Banana fibres can be used for various purposes
polygalacturonase(pectinase) production under such as in textile, paper or handicrafts industry
solid state fermentation. The study also highlighted Relatively higher tensile strength and stiffness of
the immense potentiality of A. niger in comparison banana fibre make it promising fibre material [21].
to Aspergillus fumigates as the good source of Longer fibres (1.7mm) of banana results in more
pectinase (5.362IU/g) producing fungi with yarns production. Moreover, the higher yarn
effective degumming and extraction of banana strength of banana fibre facilitate for blending with
fibre(tenacity: 24.5 cN/tex). other natural or synthetic fibres for production of
blended fabric and textiles. Though, fibre
Keywords: Mycogenic enzymes, banana extraction from banana pseudo stem is not in
pseudostem, banana fibre. practised commonly however, it gaining
momentum in few banana growing belts of Assam.
1. Introduction:
Banana fibres can be extracted by mechanical,
Banana (Musa spp.) is one of the important fruit
chemical or by biological method. Mechanically
and vegetable crop plants in the world. In North
extracted banana fibres contain some adhering
Eastern region of India banana is one of the most
gums consisting of pectin and hemicelluloses, so
important horticultural crop having unique
there is necessary for degumming of fibre before Aspergillus flavus [26]; Aspergillus sp. [4];
using as a raw material for textiles. On the other Penicilluim italicum [2]; Penicillium viridicatum
hand chemical method of banana fibre extraction RFC3 [34]; Penicillium roqueforti, Penicillium
causes environmental hazards and reduces the fibre expansum[10] and Pectolytic moulds [13]. The
strength. worldwide sale of pectinase enzyme accounts for
about 25% of industrial enzymes [33]. There is
The extraction of banana fibres using biological increasing demand for pectinase enzyme with high
natural retting has already been reported [15]. The stability in various industries including textile
natural fibres are generally obtained from plant industry along with other biotechnological uses to
stem by retting process through microbial overcome the limitation of existing commercial
decomposition of pectin which binds with woody pectinase. Though there are many reports on
inner core of the plant stem. The retting process pectinase enzyme production from microorganism
involves the cumulative activity of both water and isolated from different geographical location of
microbial action to separate the plant fibre. It also India however, in the context to North-eastern part
has major impact on fibre quality and production of India limited work have been reported on the
efficiency. Besides varietal differences, other microbial pectinase production and its application
factors like influences of climatic conditions, soil, in textile industry.
water, pH, ripeness of plant material at harvest, and
harvesting method play an important role for After extracting the natural banana fibres,
quality management of banana fibres. degumming is essential for removal of heavily
coated, non-cellulosic gummy material from the
Moreover, enzymes are going to have great cellulosic part of plant fibres. The degumming with
potential in bast fibre processing and modification microbial enzymatic process has been proven to
for blending with other fibres. Enzymes able to reduce the consumption of chemicals and energy in
modify fibre parameters with desired properties, different fibre crops. Pectinases are a group of
improve processing results and ecology in the area enzymes produced by a large number of
of bast fibre processing and fabric finishing. microorganisms which contribute to the breakdown
Enzymes are bio-active compounds or catalyst of pectic materials and plays leading role in the
which act on regulation of various biochemical degumming of natural fibres [35]. Pectinolytic
reactions in living tissues and cells [33]. Among enzymes have been applied to the degumming of
the enzymes pectinases have great biotechnological jute, sunn hemp, flax, ramie and coconut fibres for
potential with involvement in many industrial textile application [38]. When the fibres are treated
processes including processing of fibres. The with pectinase, the middle lamella gets destroyed
choice for microbial source for pectinase facilitating separation of fibres.
production depends on the type of culture required
for their production, (solid-state or submerged The degumming with microbial enzymatic process
fermentation), number and type of the produced has been proven to reduce the consumption of
pectinases (esterases, hydrolytic depolymerases and chemicals and energy in different fibre crops. The
eliminative depolymerases), pH and thermal present study intends to explore microbial isolates
stability of the enzymes, and genotypic with desirable biochemical and physicochemical
characteristic of the strain (wild type, mutagenized characteristics for utilization in enzymatic
strain, and homologous or heterologous extraction and degumming of banana fibres.
recombination) [7, 11, 36, 37].
incubated at 28°C for 3 days. Pure fungal culture Production of pectic enzymes by solid-state
was established by single spore isolation methods fermentation:
and the isolated pure strains were maintained at 4ºC
in slants for further study. The fungal strains showing large clear zones in the
plate assay experiments were used for enzyme
Optimization of Pectin extraction process production by solid state fermentation. The banana
from banana pseudo stem: fruit peel was hot air oven dried at 60°C for 12 h to
remove moisture. For fermentation studies, 50g of
Banana pseudo stem (dried) powder (30g) was dried banana peel was taken in 500ml Erlenmeyer
homogenized and by adding 360 mL of 0.1 M flasks and adjusted the moisture level to 70% by
sulphuric acid, blended for 10 min. The pH was adding sterile distilled water and then inoculated
adjusted to 5 with 0.5 M NaOH. The mixture was with 5ml of fungal spore suspension(106
heated to 70 °C for 60 min and filtered by using spores/ml) and incubated at 30°C. After every 24 h
0.5-mm sized mesh. The filtrate was precipitated intervals, 1 g of the fermented substrate was
by addition of 90% ethanol into the filtrate with an withdrawn and the enzyme was extracted in 10 mL
ethanol-to-extract ratio of 7:2. The filtrate was of 0.2 M citrate buffer (pH 5) and filtered through
centrifuged at 6000 rpm for 5 min at 30°C and the Whatmann filter paper No 1. The filtrate was then
supernatant was discarded. The pellet was vacuum centrifuged and supernatant was used to evaluate
filtered and washed with ethanol-HCL(0.5M) the polygalacturonase activity. The fermentation
solution. The extract was again washed with was carried out for 120 h till the enzyme activity
acetone to remove traces of HCL and ethanol and decreased.
dried at 40 °C in an oven for 5 hours to constant
weight and ground finely for further experiments. Screening of strains with pectinolytic
potential:
Pectin yield:
Czapek’s‐Dox agar[5] (with Amoxicillin
Extracted pectin 100μg/ml) enriched with Pectin standrard (SIGMA,
Yield (%) = Amount of extracted pectin in g x 100 P8471) and laboratory extracted banana pectin at
Initial amount of dried pseudostem different concentrations (0.1%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%,
sample(g) used and 2.0% ) as the sole source of carbon was
inoculated with 2% (v/v) fungal spore suspension
Screening of fungal strains with pectinolytic and incubated for 3 days at 28±2°C. Fungal
potential: utilization of Pectin was detected by flooding the
culture plates with freshly prepared
Preliminary screening of fungal isolates for Iodine‐Potassium iodide solution[18]. After
pectinase production was carried out by disc plate treating with Iodine‐Potassium iodide solution
method [1]. All the morphologically distinct results in development of colour to the medium
colonies were purified by repeated streaking on containing pectin and demarcation of pectin
pectin medium. Identification of genus was based degradation by forming a translucent halo in the
on morphological and biochemical characteristics region where pectin get degraded. Simultaneously,
and was maintained on PDA slants as stock a set of control plate having Czapek’s‐Dox agar but
cultures. without pectin or any other carbon source was
maintained. The fungal isolates that gave biggest
Plate assay of depolymerized pectin: zone of inhibition were selected as the best
producer of pectinase enzyme
For the plate assay of depolymerized pectin the
same isolation medium was used with 0.1% banana Same method was followed to determine the
extracted pectin in place of pure pectin, optimum concentration of pectin derived from
supplemented with 2% agar and the pH adjusted to banana pseudostem(0.1%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and
5. The fungal strains isolated from isolation 2.0%) required to grow the pectinolytic fungal
medium were diluted individually in sterile distilled strains on Czapek’s‐Dox agar media. Selection of
water and then inoculated plates were incubated at fungal strain was done on the basis of formation of
30° C for 24-72 h° [19]. After reaching the colony clear zones and the corresponding diameters was
size approximately 3 mm, 1% hexadecyl tri-methyl noted which gave the efficiency of banana pectin
ammonium bromide was added to detect the clear for fungal pectinase enzyme production. The media
zones[3]. (Czapek’s-Dox) with optimum concentration of
banana pectin was inoculated with the pectinolytic
fungal strain in 250 ml Erlenmeyer flasks on a
rotary shaker(180 rpm) at 37°C for further study.
After 5-7 days the cultures were centrifuged and (pH‐6.0). In this media the banana pseudo stem
the cell free supernatants were used as crude pieces (10 x 4 x 2 cm) were added, autoclaved at
pectinase enzyme that was assayed. 15lbs pressure for 45 minutes. After cooling 5 ml
of broth culture of pectinolytic potential fungal
Pectinase assay isolates were inoculated and incubated at 30°C for
three days.
Pectinase activity was evaluated by assaying for
polgalacturonase (PG) activity of the enzyme. This Degumming of banana fibres by mycogenic
was achieved by measuring the release of reducing Enzyme treatment:
groups from banana pectin using a modification of
the 3, 5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) reagent assay Banana pseudo stem treatment were performed in
method[27]. Pectinolytic activity of enzyme 5L Beaker (Borosil) containing the crude extract of
(Pectinase standard) was quantified with the fungal isolates. The pieces of banana pseudo stem
released reducing sugars, using 3,5-dinitrosalicylic (30 x 10 x 2 mm) were incorporated in the crude
acid (DNS) [27]. 0.2 ml of 1 % pectin(standard) enzyme and were incubated at 30ºC for three days.
solution, 2.0 ml of sodium citrate buffer (pH 5.0) After 3-5 days, the pieces of pseudo stem were
and 1.0 ml of Pure pectinase enzyme(standard) was washed thoroughly with clean water and the fibre
added. The reaction mixture was incubated at 35°C bundles were separated by hand stripping. The
± 1°C for 25 min and after that 1.0 ml of this resulted hand stripped banana fibers again washed
reaction mixture was added to 0.5 ml of 1M sodium and air dried at room temperature. All the sets of
carbonate solution in test-tube. The reaction was fibers were evaluated for physical properties using
stopped by adding 0.5 mL of DNS reagent and kept the Universal Testing Machine Methods(UTM) to
in a boiling water bath for 15 min. After cooling, find out the best suitable parameters for fibre
distilled water was added to make up the volume to quality improvement. Similarly, effects of retention
10mL and the absorbance was measured at 530-575 time/incubation period of banana fibre degumming
nm. The enzyme and substrate blanks will be run were also determined.
parallel. Protein content was determined by the
method of Lowry et al. (1951) [25] using bovine Evaluation of physical strength:
serum albumin as protein standard.
A standard curve of glucose was used to calculate To ascertain the effect of mycogenic pectinase
the reducing sugars released by the enzymatic enzyme treatment on the quality of extracted
activity. One enzyme unit of pectinase is the banana fibre the physical strength properties was
number of μmol of reducing sugars measured in studied for both enzymatic treatment and control
terms of glucose, produced as a result of the action (without enzyme) by using standard Universal
of 1.0 ml of enzyme extract in 1 minute at 35°C ± Testing Machine (UTM) methods. A total of three
1°C. sets of fibres were evaluated for each of the test
parameters.
Table 3: Effect of mycogenic pectinase enzymes on physical properties (fiber diameter and tenacity) of banana fibres
The present findings with petinase enymes chlorite, hypochlorite based bleaching etc. Thus,
accomplished positive results for banana fibre the mycogenic enzymes able to enhance natural
extraction . In comparison to the control the banana fibre yields with better resource
biologically synthesized pectinase treatment reproducibility which will help in commercial
showed improvement in physical properties of exploitation of the banana fibre in near future in
banana fibres. The enzyme synthesized by different sectors. Moreover, the new enzyme based
Aspergillus niger shows better results with higher fibre surface modifications will facilitate for better
Tenacity(24.5 cN/tex) which was followed by the compatibility with the blending potentials. A clear
A. fumigatus(22.6 cN/tex)(Table-3). The results bio-based pectinase enzymatic approach will be an
indicated that clean banana fibre production based effective way to generate natural bast fibres of
on bio processing by using fungal originated desired quality which will open up opportunities
pectinase enzyme can be employed in fibre and market for these renewable raw materials with
extraction and degumming process instead of wide utilization in different end-user industries.
utilising harsh chemicals like surfactants, alkali
Table 4: Mechanical properties of Banana fiber in different diameter ranges. Gauge length=50x10-3m and CHS= 20 x 10-3
m min-1
(a,b) Fungal plates of Aspergillus niger (c,d) Aspergillus fumigatus fungal plates (e,f,g.h) showing zone of clearance with
pectinase production for Aspergillus fumigates and Aspergillus niger isolates
Plate 2: Showing pectinase production with extraction and degumming of banana fibres.
(a) Fungal isolates with pectinase enzyme production (b) Banana pseudostem enzymatic treatment and fibre extraction
(c) Conventional and pectinase enzyme treated fibres (d) Mega processing of machine extracted banana fibres.
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