S. BALAJI, V. VEERABHUVANESHWARI, N. SARASWATHY, P. RAMALINGAM AND P. MUTHUKUMARAN
Abstract
In this present investigation Colocasia esculenta (L.) schott. corm was utilized as a carbon source to produce α-amylase by Aspergillus luchuensis bs1 under solid state fermentation. The factors influencing alpha amylase production was statistically analysed by experimenting one variable at a time. The study revealed maximum alpha amylase production (193kU) at taro corm to nutrient salt solution ratio (1:3), temperature (40°C), pH 5.6, incubation period (5 days), yeast extract (0.5%) as complex nitrogen source and nutrient salt solution as moistening agents. The alpha amylase preparation recorded finest activity at pH 5.5, 30 minutes of contact time, temperature stability at 40°C and 87% specificity to potato starch. The desized cotton fabric showed 9.5% weight loss, 5 seconds of absorbency time and 8 rating in Tegewa analysis for 1.8 % enzyme preparation. The study proposes a novel carbon source to produce alpha amylase and an enzyme preparation for desizing sized cotton fabric in minimal concentration.