Enzymatic Delignification Technology for Bioethanol Production from Ulva reticulata Macroalgae Patrisius Maryanto Bria (a), Dimas Andrianto (a), R. Haryo Bimo Setiarto (b*)
(a) Biochemistry Department, IPB University, Jl. Bungur No.1, Babakan, Dramaga, Bogor, West Java 16680, Indonesia
(b) Research Center for Applied Microbiology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Indonesia, Jl. Raya Jakarta-Bogor Km.46, Cibinong, Bogor, West Java, 16911, Indonesia
Abstract
Ulva reticulata shows great potential as a third-generation biomass for producing bioethanol due to its carbohydrate fractions that contain cellulose and hemicellulose. Nonetheless, the presence of lignin hinders the efficiency of hydrolysis and makes the fermentable polysaccharides less accessible. As a result, an effective delignification process is necessary before hydrolysis and fermentation can take place. The goal of this research was to identify and assess effective enzymatic delignification methods for U. reticulata through a systematic literature review following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The review looked into key extracellular ligninolytic enzymes, including laccase, lignin peroxidase (LiP), manganese peroxidase (MnP), and versatile peroxidase (VP), evaluating them based on their catalytic processes, operational needs, and significance for bioethanol production. The findings indicate that fungal laccase, especially from white-rot fungi like Pleurotus species, is a strong potential option for delignification because it offers a relatively mild and eco-friendly oxidation system using molecular oxygen, which results in water as the main by-product. However, direct evidence of its application on U. reticulata is currently scarce. Therefore, additional experimental investigations are necessary to confirm its delignification ability and refine its application for bioethanol production.
