Determination of endoglucanase activity of paper decaying fungi from an old library at the ancient Medina of Fez

Research on paper decaying fungi from the ancient library of Fez, Morocco, reveals that all tested isolates exhibit cellulase, amylase, pectinase, and ligninase activities. Notably, Mucor racemosus PF15, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus oryzae demonstrated the highest endoglucanase activity (0.256, 0.236, and 0.216 UI/mL, respectively) after six days in liquid medium at 25°C. Optimal enzyme production occurred at pH 5–6 and temperatures of 25–30°C, providing critical insights into the biodeterioration mechanisms affecting historical paper in UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Fez's Medina.

El Bergadi, F., Laachari, F., Sadiki, M., Elabed, S., Iraqui, M. H., & Ibnsouda, S. K. (2016). Determination of endoglucanase activity of paper decaying fungi from an old library at the ancient Medina of Fez. Microbiology, 85(1), 47–55. https://doi.org/10.1134/s0026261716010021