Cellulose Degrading Fungi: Nanocellulose Production and Its Agri-Environmental Applications

Abstract

Presently, continuously increasing the demand for synthetic polymers or plastic in daily life adversely affects the environment due to their disposal and long life span. Researchers constantly focus on the isolation of newer materials from renewable sources such as cellulose. Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer on Earth that efficiently isolates plants, bacteria, animals, and fungi. The isolation of cellulose from fungi is most common among these organisms due to their elongated hyphae, which produce mechanical pressure on the cellulose structure, inflicting them to supply massive amounts of cellulose. Moreover, fungal strains can have higher quantities of cellulases than other organisms. This book chapter focuses on the different isolation processes of nano-cellulose from fungi. The surface functionalization of nano-cellulose might enhance its applicability. The various applications of nano-cellulose are also discussed in detail. Therefore, increasing demand for nano-cellulose is predictable due to a broader range of applicability. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.