P. VIDYA1, S. R. PADWAL-DESAI1 AND K.K. USSUF
Abstract
The effect of pretreatment of lignocellulosic material like rice and wheat straw by using gamma rays and electron beam at various doses on the biodegradation of lignin by P. chrysosporium was investigated. It was observed that irradiated samples were more efficiently degraded by P. chrysosporium than untreated samples. The lignin biodegradation was monitored by the loss in dry weight and Klason lignin and release of radioactivity from "C labeled lignin. The effect of pretreatment of cellulose on biodegradation by P. chrysosporium was monitored by the amount of endoglucanase and exocellobiohydrolase (CBH) enzyme secreted by the organism when grown on pretreated cotton. The induction of the cellulase enzymes was found to be higher in pretreated samples as compared to the untreated samples. The optimum dose was found to be 750 Gy for gamma rays and 2500 Gy for electron beam.