The National Institute of Interdisciplinary Science & Technology (CSIR-NIIST), a constituent laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR) based here, has entered into a technology transfer agreement with a Maharashtra-based company for commercial production of beta glucosidase enzyme used by the biofuel industry.
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The institute has signed an agreement with Sarthak Metals Ltd, Nagpur, Maharashtra, for transfer of the technology. As per the agreement, the CSIR-NIIST will grant licence to Sarthak Metals Ltd for utilising the know-how for production of beta glucosidase using filamentous fungus through solid state fermentation (SSF) process. The enzyme can be used in biofuel production, particularly for the hydrolysis of biomass in combination with cellulases as an enzyme cocktail.
Spurt in demand
The transfer of the technology for commercial use assumes significance considering the spurt in demand for cellulose cocktail in the wake of the Government of India clearing several 2G ethanol projects, said NIIST director C. Anandharamakrishnan.
The BGL enzyme has been found to increase the efficiency of the fermentation process by up to 30% when tested in blend along with acid cellulose and commercial enzyme preparations in bio refineries.
It also has applications across industries, including textiles, detergents and in organic synthesis.