OPTIMIZATION OF THE PRETREATMENT AND HYDROLYSIS OF PLANTAIN STEM (MUSA PARADISICA) USING CELLULASE FROM SNAIL (ACHATINA MARGINATA) FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIOETHANOL

Abstract

The efficacy of crude cellulase from the haemolyph of a giant African Snail (Achatina marginata) on the hydrolysis of plantain stem biomass (Musa paradisacal) was nvestigated. The biomass were pretreated with Ca(OH)2 and HCI optimized at IN and 5N for 10, 20 and 30mins.The pretreated biomass were hydrolyzed witq crude snail cellulase optimized at 30, 40 and 50°C for 30mins, 60mins, 120mins and 180mins and the result showed that, lucose had an optimal yield of 197± 0.0Img/100g sample at IN-30mins Ca(OH)2 pretreatment (optimal pretreatment condition) before and an optimal yield of291 ± 0.22mg/lOOg sample at 180mins hydrolytic time (optimal hydrolytic time) . There was no significant difference in glucose yield at 30; 40 and 50°c incubation temperature. The ethanol distillate obtained was 76% (volume by volume) with methane, ethane, propane and butane as constituent. Thus, snail could be a good source of cellulase for hydrolysis of plantain stem to ethanol and other value added products via Ca(OH)2 pretreatment.