Jarina JoshiBista, Garima2026-04-272026-04-272017https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14540/26458Cellulases (EC 3.2.1.4) catalyze the hydrolysis of 1, 4-β-D-glycosidic linkages in cellulose and play a significant role in nature by recycling this polysaccharide which is the main component of plant cell wall. This enzyme has enormous potential in industries and is used in food, beverages, textile, laundry, paper, pulp industries etc. Therefore, there has been much research aimed at obtaining new microorganisms producing cellulase enzymes with higher specific activities and greater efficiency. The study was aimed to reduce the production cost of cellulase by isolating good strain and optimizing the production medium. The research was specifically designed to assess cellulase production from fungus isolated from waste water, moist soil, rice straw, cow dung, rotten dried leaf and goat manure. A total of 9 fungal cultures were isolated, out of which 4 isolates (D3, S6, G4 and S5) showed cellulase activity done in a plate assay method using basal salt media incorporated with 1% CMC. Among the 4 isolates, D3 (isolated from dung sample) showed the highest cellulase activity with largest zone of hydrolysis of 18 mm. From morphological and microscopic test, the fungal strain (D3) was expected to be Apergillus species. The assay of cellulase in term of CMCase was performed by measuring the release of reducing sugar (DNS method). Optimization of process parameters was carried out for the isolate (D3) to maximize enzyme yield. On optimization, Aspergillus species showed maximum enzyme activity at pH 6 (1.783 IU/ml) and temperature 30°C (3.333 IU/ml) at 120 hours of incubation. Further, bioreactor had been used for the study of cellulase production from isolate D3. Under optimized condition of agitation at 200 rpm and aeration of 1 l/m, isolate D3 showed the highest production in the 6th day (144 hours of incubation) with enzymatic activity of 8.966 IU/ml and 11.166 IU/ml. Keywords: Fungi, Aspergillus species, Cellulase, Municipal wastes, Submerged state fermentationen-USOptimizationMunicipial wastesThesis