Partitioning of microbial cellulase in aqueous two-phase system: Modeling and optimization using response surface methodology

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Elham Asl Soleimani 1
Masoumeh Anvari 1
Gholam Khayati 2
1 Department of Biology Ra.C., Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran.
2 Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Eng., Guilan University, Rasht, Iran.
10.22034/zmm.2026.737387
Abstract
Background & objectives: Separating biological products is one of the key challenges in industrial fermentation processes. An aqueous two-phase system based on polymer-salt has been used for the fractionation of microbial cellulase obtained by fermentation.
Material & Methods: The optimal conditions for cellulase extraction were determined by response surface methodology an aqueous two-phase system. A second-order central composite design was applied to evaluate the effects of three independent variables (ammonium sulphate concentration, temperature and pH) on cellulase extraction yield.
Results: Maximum yield of extracted cellulase were determined as follows: 26.34 (%w/w) for ammonium sulphate concentration, 7.7 for pH, and a temperature of 31.61 (°C). The linear term of temperature and pH had significant effects on the yield of extraction (p-value < 0.05). Correlation analysis of the mathematical regression model indicated that the quadratic polynomial model could be employed to optimize the extraction.
Conclusion: Under both acidic and alkaline conditions within the system, there was a clear reduction in enzyme recovery, in contrast to the neutral pH.
Keywords
Keywords: Cellulase
Aqueous two-phase system
Response surface methodology
Zand Molecular Microbiology
Volume 2, Issue 1
Winter 2026
Pages 50-59