Separation and Enzymatic Saccharification of Cellulose from Wakame (Undaria pinnatifida)

Cellobiose and glucose were produced using an enzyme (cellulase from Trichoderma viride) reaction from the crude fiber unit (CFU) separated from Wakame seaweed (Undaria pinnatifida). The method for separation involved adding sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) to desalted stalks of wet Wakame. The wet CFU was pulverized using a centrifugal grinder after lyophilization. The enzyme reaction used the CFU powder as a substrate. The maximum concentration of cellobiose and glucose reached 56±2.0 and 130±0.2 mg/g, respectively. The total cellulose included in this CFU was determined to be about 70%. The sugar recovery from cellulose in the CFU was 20%. Although glucose was detected when micro-crystalline cellulose was used as a substrate, cellobiose and glucose were detected when CFU powder was used as a substrate.