Title: Toxicological evaluation of organic acids produced by Aspergillus strain R62 MK542010 using cassava waste substrate
Abstract:
The global organic acid market is projected to attaining USD 21.4 billion by 2034, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.5%. Due to increasing concerns over environmental pollution, fossil-derived organic acid is being replaced with eco-friendly, biologically produced alternatives. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and toxicological profile of organic acids produced via fermentation of cassava peel using Aspergillus strain R62 for potential industrial applications. In this study, lactic acid was produced via semi-solid and submerged fermentation using Aspergillus strain R62 MK542010 and cassava peel as substrate. The extract was purified using column chromatography and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which revealed the presence of isobutyric acid, lactic acid, acetaldehyde, and glucose. Toxicological assessments were conducted to evaluate the pharmacological and therapeutic safety of the extract. Acute oral toxicity tests were performed on female Swiss albino rats, while subacute dermal toxicity was assessed over 14 days. Rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation, and major organs (liver, kidney, lung, heart) were harvested for histopathological and hematological analyses.
By day 14, rats exhibited a weight increase from 90 g to 144 g. Histopathological examinations of treated rats showed no evidence of tissue damage or teratogenic effects, with all organs maintaining normal cellular architecture comparable to controls. Hematological analysis revealed a dose-dependent decrease in platelet count (from 2.58 in controls to 6.58 ×103 /L in rats treated with 5000 mg/kg), although all values remained within physiological reference ranges. Subacute testing indicated elevated hemoglobin levels, with no signs of systemic toxicity. These findings support the potential safety of biologically produced organic acids for industrial and pharmaceutical applications. Future work will focus on genetic enhancement of the microbial strains to improve yield and specificity of targeted organic acid production.
Key words: Cassava peel, Histopathology, Organic acids, Toxicology,
