IMMOBILIZATION OF PECTINASE ON IRON OXIDE NANOPARTICLES AND ITS POTENTIAL APPLICATION IN BIOMETHANOL PRODUCTION

Abstract

Fossil fuel depletion resulted in growing energy prices have made bio diesel an interesting alternative that is being introduced to the transport sector in many countries. Alternative fuel produced from agricultural waste using microbial enzymes has considerably gaining interest especially sugar beet pulp, a by-product and waste that released from sugar industry which rich in pectin residues. Pectinase from Aspergillus niger was commercially procured and it was immobilized onto chemically synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles using co-precipitation method and characterized using scanning electron microscope showed 85 nm and 136 nm in size and spherical in shape. Functional groups were determined using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy that ensured pectinase immobilization. Enzyme immobilized nanoparticles were subjected into sugar beet pulp thereby methanol produces. Methanol from water was separated and purified using distillation process. Presence of methanol was confirmed by Schiff’s reagent test. Biomethanol production from agricultural waste with the help of pectinase enzyme bounded on iron oxide nanoparticles found as novel one. In conclusion, current work has taken step towards production of non-renewable fossil fuel which builds an eco-friendly atmosphere.