Chinese researchers find waste paper could be efficiently used for enzyme production

In China, researchers at the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have recently found that waste paper could be efficiently used for enzyme production by Trichoderma longiflorum. The study was published in Journal of Cleaner Production. 

Waste paper, a recyclable waste resource, has high potential for industry due to its richness in cellulose, low cost and high abundance. Thus, to produce cellulase and xylanase by using waste paper not only reduces the cost of enzyme production, but also achieves the efficient use of waste paper resources. 

In the experiment, the researchers used waste office paper, corrugated board, magazine paper and tissue paper for enzyme production by T. longiflorum LC-M4, a mutant generated by heavy ion irradiation. 

By studying the structural characterization of waste paper, they revealed that the cellulose is the main component in different waste paper sources, and the fillers such as calcium carbonate can provide nutrient elements for microbial growth and enzyme synthesis.