The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of recombinant lignin degrading enzyme, maganese peroxidise (rMnP), to detoxify inhibitors for theoptimization of ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass. The negative effects of inhibitors: vanillin, furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural, and syringaldehyde on Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia pastoris yeast cell growth in revealed in cell growth assays. A method of monitoring each inhibitor's concentration is developed by performing full spectrum absorbance scand of all four inhibitors at various concentrations adn the wavelength that most strongly reflects the change in concentration of each inhibitor is determinded. The effects of rMnP on the degradation of vanillin, furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural, and syringaldehyde is found though development spectroscopy techniques in the presence of active adn inactive rMnP. Immobilization of rMnP in sodium alginate beads was also studied and a technique for successful immobilization of the enzyme was established. It was determinded that rMnp will degrade vanillin, furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural, and syringaldehyde and the immobilization of active rMnP in sodium alginate beads is a promising technology for the pretreatment of lignocellulostic biomass for the maximization of ethanol yield during fermetation processes
