Screening of Fungi Isolated from Fruit Waste Dumpsite Soil in Ipata Market Area of Ilorin for Proteolytic and Lipolytic Abilities

Abstract

<jats:p>The growing applications of enzymes in industries have necessitated the search for local protease and lipase producing strains of microorganisms’ to discover indigenous microbes with such activity. Soil from waste dumpsites has been identified as repository for microbial diversity with potential industrial importance and biotechnological applications. This study focused on isolating, identifying, and screening fungi from soil samples collected at fruit waste dump sites in Ipata Market Area of Ilorin, Kwara State, for their ability to produce protease and lipase enzymes. Soil samples were collected from two distinct locations within the dump site and fungi were isolated using pour plate method on PDA plates. The fungi were characterized and identified, and screened for protease and lipase activities using skimmed milk and phenol red agar plates incubated at 27 0C for 48 hours respectively. Hyphal growth and clear zones of hydrolysis around colonies were measured to indicate protease and lipase activities respectively. Five fungal species were identified as Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Mucor sp., and Penicillium sp from the two sites. Aspergillus flavus exhibited the highest lipase activity, with a significant clear zone of 83.69 mm, while Penicillium sp. showed the lowest lipase activity of 54.13 mm. For protease activity, Aspergillus niger recorded the highest hyphal growth diameter of 81.38 mm, whereas Mucor sp. displayed the least activity with hyphal growth diameter of 21.50 mm. The findings highlight the potential of local fungal strains isolated from fruit dumpsite in protease and lipase production, which could be leveraged on for industrial applications.</jats:p>