초록
<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Bio-based pretreatment methods are gaining concern worldwide with substantial efforts are being realistic in effective technology improvement for the utilization of lignocellulosic biomass. However, limited scientific evidence is available for the utilization of aloe vera leaf rind (AVLR) that is spawned as waste during their industrial processing. In the present study, the optimization of laccase mediated delignification of AVLR was performed through response surface methodology (RSM) based on central composite design (CCD) of experiments to optimize the influencing parameters such as solid to liquid ratio, reaction temperature and incubation time on delignification of AVLR lignin. The optimum percentage of delignification of about 76.67% was obtained with 3.8% (w/w) residual lignin in the biomass under optimum process conditions such as solid to liquid ratio (1:3.7), 50 °C for 6 h of incubation. The efficiency of laccase mediated pretreatment of AVLR biomass was examined via various analytical techniques (SEM, XRD and FTIR) that advocated the target specific action of biocatalyst (laccase) on AVLR lignin. Enzymatic hydrolysis of raw and delignified AVLR biomass were performed using crude cellulase produced from <I>Aspergillus sp</I>., which resulted in saccharification of about 44.35% ± 1.0 which is approximately 2 fold higher as compared to raw biomass. This shows the viability of laccase mediated pretreatment of AVLR biomass to elevate the reducing sugar yield accessible for the production of bioethanol.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Laccase pretreatment for lignin depolymerization of AVLR biomass was employed. </LI> <LI> Maximum delignification of 76.67% was obtained upon optimization by CCD based RSM. </LI> <LI> XRD, FTIR and SEM analysis deciphered the efficacy of laccase pretreatment. </LI> <LI> Enhanced enzymatic saccharification by two fold was obtained after pretreatment. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>