Lignin Structural Remodeling during Biodegradation of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch by Trametes hirsuta EDN082

Abstract Oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB) are lignocellulosic biomass that can be used for bioethanol and biopulping. The conversion of lignocellulosic biomass is needed to break the bonds of lignin so cellulose can be used for bioethanol production. The lignin bond breaking was biologically selected using the white rot fungus Trametes hirsuta EDN 082. This study aimed to compare and analyze the structure of lignin resulting from the biological degradation of lignin by the white rot fungus T. hirsuta EDN 082 combined with chemical pretreatment. The substrate used was OPEFB with a size of 40-60 mesh with various control treatments (C), microwave heating-water (W), microwave heating-oxalic acid (OA), C and T. hirsuta (JC), W and T. hirsuta (JW), OA and T. hirsuta (JOA). The substrate added by T. hirsuta was incubated for 21 days. Chemical analysis was conducted to determine weight loss, lignin content, and cellulose from various treatments. From the six treatment variations, it was shown that the highest average loss of lignin (85.92%) with the loss of α-cellulose (79.61%) and hemicellulose (80.15%) occurred in JC culture. This is supported by the change in the functional group band at 1161-1645 cm-1. Keywords: Lignin degradation, White-rot fungi, Lignocellulosic biomass