Research on effective extraction of nicotine from tobacco waste by microbial enzyme reaction

Key words: 
• enzymatic reaction /
• nicotine /
• fermentation /
• tobacco waste

Abstract: Waste tobacco nicotine was extracted by enzymatic reaction with the use of microbial fermentation. Using spectrophotometer to determine the nicotine content in the fermentation system, fermentation strains were optimized by contrast with microwave-assisted fermentation and other different methods. And the effects of inoculums, medium composition and different process parameters on the content of nicotine were also determined. The results show that using white-rot fungi and Pachysolen tannophilus (1∶1) in microwave-assisted fermentation, the tobacco and water weight ratio is 3∶20, soybean content is 15% of tobacco weight, inoculation volume is 40%, fermentation time is 48 h under pH 6 and 30℃，the concentration of nicotine in tobacco can finally reach 3.291 g/L. This research results will benefit for reducing waste tobacco caused by secondary pollution and achieving the resource reutilization of tobacco at the same time.