Utilization of Organic Wastes for Laccase Production by Pleurotus ostreatus

Abstract

Production of laccase was achieved by using white-rot fungus, Pleurotus ostreatus, grown on economical and cost-effective materials. The fungus was cultivated in liquid medium containing mung bean pomace, soybean pomace and wastewater treatment sludge as sole carbon source for 15 days. In addition, different concentrations of an inducer, benzyl alcohol, were tested to induce laccase production. The results revealed that the highest laccase activity was equal to 1.859 ± 0.129 U/mL in mung bean pomace containing medium, and the lowest laccase activity was 0.234 ± 0.019 U/mL in soybean pomace medium. Addition of 10 mm benzyl alcohol enhanced laccase production up to 2.952 ± 0.080 U/mL in the mung bean pomace medium at day 15 of cultivation. Level of laccase production increased correspondingly with increasing concentration of the inducer. The high level of laccase production in mung bean medium could contribute to high C/N ratio and excessively high levels of carbon and nitrogen contents in soybean suppressed laccase production.