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Open AccessArticle
Evaluation and Verification of Starch Decomposition by Microbial Hydrolytic Enzymes
by
Makoto Takaya
Makoto Takaya 1,
Manzo Uchigasaki
Manzo Uchigasaki 1,*,
Koji Itonaga
Koji Itonaga 2 and
Koichi Ara
Koichi Ara 3
1
Department of Environment Science, Graduate School of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Fujisawa 252-0880, Kanagawa, Japan
2
NPO Ecology Archiscape, Tokyo 171-0021, Japan
3
Department of Marine Science, Graduate School of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Fujisawa 252-0880, Kanagawa, Japan
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Water 2025, 17(15), 2354; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17152354 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 26 June 2025
/
Revised: 21 July 2025
/
Accepted: 25 July 2025
/
Published: 7 August 2025
Abstract
This study investigates the Enzyme Biofilm Method (EBM), a biological wastewater treatment technology previously developed by the authors. EBM employs microbial-derived hydrolytic enzyme groups in the initial treatment stage to break down high-molecular-weight organic matter—such as starch, proteins, and fats—into low-molecular-weight compounds. These compounds enhance the growth of native microorganisms, promoting biofilm formation on carriers and improving treatment efficiency. Over the past decade, EBM has been practically applied in food factory wastewater facilities handling high organic loads. The enzyme groups used in EBM are derived from cultures of Bacillus mojavensis, Saccharomyces cariocanus, and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei. To clarify the system’s mechanism and ensure its practical viability, this study focused on starch—a prevalent and recalcitrant component of food wastewater—using two evaluation approaches. Verification 1: Field testing at a starch factory showed that adding enzyme groups to the equalization tank effectively reduced biological oxygen demand (BOD) through starch degradation. Verification 2: Laboratory experiments confirmed that the enzyme groups possess both amylase and maltase activities, sequentially breaking down starch into glucose. The resulting glucose supports microbial growth, facilitating biofilm formation and BOD reduction. These findings confirm EBM’s potential as a sustainable and effective solution for treating high-strength food industry wastewater.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Takaya, M.; Uchigasaki, M.; Itonaga, K.; Ara, K.
Evaluation and Verification of Starch Decomposition by Microbial Hydrolytic Enzymes. Water 2025, 17, 2354.
https://doi.org/10.3390/w17152354
AMA Style
Takaya M, Uchigasaki M, Itonaga K, Ara K.
Evaluation and Verification of Starch Decomposition by Microbial Hydrolytic Enzymes. Water. 2025; 17(15):2354.
https://doi.org/10.3390/w17152354
Chicago/Turabian Style
Takaya, Makoto, Manzo Uchigasaki, Koji Itonaga, and Koichi Ara.
2025. "Evaluation and Verification of Starch Decomposition by Microbial Hydrolytic Enzymes" Water 17, no. 15: 2354.
https://doi.org/10.3390/w17152354
APA Style
Takaya, M., Uchigasaki, M., Itonaga, K., & Ara, K.
(2025). Evaluation and Verification of Starch Decomposition by Microbial Hydrolytic Enzymes. Water, 17(15), 2354.
https://doi.org/10.3390/w17152354
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