Process Optimization for Enhancement of Fermentable Sugar from Cyperus sp. through Enzymatic Saccharification

Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is a powerful and efficient mathematical approach widely used in the optimization processes. Cellulase enzyme produced by Trichoderma reesei RutC30 was investigated for saccharification of Cyperus sp. In this work, sequential optimization strategy-based statistical design was employed to enhance the saccharification process. A five factorial design was applied to elucidate the process parameters that significantly influence saccharification. Enzyme concentration, solid loading, temperature, pH and incubation time were identified as important process parameters affecting cellulase enzyme synthesis. Central Composite Design was used to estimate the quadratic response surface from which the factor levels for maximum yield of reducing sugars was determined. The final optimum values of the parameter predicted by RSM were temperature 50°C, enzyme titre 20 IU/ml, solid loading 20%, pH 5.0 and incubation time 7 h. The saccharification efficiency was determined to be 74.23% based on the above parameters.