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Mandarin peelings: The best carbon source to produce laccase by static cultures of Trametes pubescens.

Osma JF, Saravia V, Herrera JL, Couto SR

Department of Chemical Engineering, Rovira i Virgili University, Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona, Spain.

In the present study, we investigated the effect of different carbon sources (glucose, glycerol and ground mandarin peelings) on laccase production by Trametes pubescens grown on stainless steel sponges under static conditions. The cultures with ground mandarin peelings gave the highest laccase activities, showing values of about 100Ul(-1). This is a very interesting result, since mandarin peelings are common agricultural wastes in some regions such as Mediterranean and Asiatic countries. Therefore, their reutilisation, besides reducing medium cost, also helps to solve the pollution problems caused by their disposal. Also, we studied the effect of supplementing the culture medium with different potential laccase-inducing compounds (ABTS, Tween 20, soya oil, Malaquite Green, Cu(2+), tannic acid) on laccase production. Soya oil was the best inducer of laccase activities, attaining values 4-fold higher than those obtained in the reference cultures.

Published 28 February 2007 in Chemosphere, 67(8): 1677-80.
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