Scanning Electron Microscope Analysis of Rice Straw Degradation by a Treatment with α-L-arabinofuranosidase

The purpose of this research was to analyze surface structure modification of rice straw after degradation by α-L-arabinofuranosidase. Analysis of surface structure modification was performed by scanning electron microscope. Alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase was collected from intracellular enzyme and extracellular enzyme; the ratio of enzyme mixture and incubation time were then optimized. The optimum ratio of enzyme mixture was 1:1. The optimum incubation time of rice straw was 8 hours. Rice straw, after degradation by α-L-arabinofuranosidase, was analyzed by scanning electron microscope. The rice straw, before degradation by α-L-arabinofuranosidase, was used as the control of the analysis. The result of this research indicated that enzymatic hydrolysis damaged surface structure of rice straw.