Efficacy of fungal decolorization of a mixture of dyes belonging to different classes

Dyes are the most difficult constituents to remove by conventional biological wastewater treatment. Colored wastewater is mainly eliminated by physical and chemical procedures, which are very expensive and have drawbacks. Therefore, the advantage of using biological processes, such as the biotransformation of dyes, is that they may lead to complete mineralization or formation of less toxic products. To prove the possibility of using fungal processes for decolorization and other applications, the analysis of the toxicity of the processes' products is required. The decolorization of the mixture of two dyes from different classes - triphenylmethane brilliant green and azo Evans blue (GB - total concentration 0.08 g/L, proportion 1:1 w/w) - by Pleurotus ostreatus (BWPH and MB), Gloeophyllum odoratum (DCa), RWP17 (Polyporus picipes) and Fusarium oxysporum (G1) was studied. Zootoxicity (Daphnia magna) and phytotoxicity (Lemna minor) changes were estimated at the end of the experiment. The mixture of dyes was significantly removed by all the strains that were tested with 96 h of experimental time. However, differences among strains from the same species (P. ostreatus) were noted. Shaking improved the efficacy and rate of the dye removal. In static samples, the removal of the mixture reached more than 51.9% and in shaken samples, more than 79.2%. Tests using the dead biomass of the fungi only adsorbed up to 37% of the dye mixture (strain BWPH), which suggests that the process with the living biomass involves the biotransformation of the dyes. The best results were reached for the MB strain, which removed 90% of the tested mixture under shaking conditions. Regardless of the efficacy of the dye removal, toxicity decreased from class V to class III in tests with D. magna. Tests with L. minor control samples were classified as class IV, and samples with certain strains were non-toxic. The highest phytotoxicity decrease was noted in shaken samples where the elimination of dye mixture was the best.(AU)

Concentration, characterization and application of lipases from Sporidiobolus pararoseus strain

Lipases produced by a newly isolated Sporidiobolus pararoseus strain have potential catalytic ability for esterification reactions. After production, the enzymatic extracts (conventional crude and precipitated, 'CC' and 'CP', and industrial crude and precipitated, 'IC' e 'IP') were partially characterized. The enzymes presented, in general, higher specificity for short chain alcohols and fatty acids. The precipitated extract showed a good thermal stability, higher than that for crude enzymatic extracts. The 'CC' and 'CP' enzymes presented high activities after exposure to pH 6.5 and 40 ºC. On the other hand, the 'IC' and 'IP' extracts kept their activities in a wide range of pH memory but presented preference for higher reaction temperatures. Preliminary studies of application of the crude lipase extract in the enzymatic production of geranyl propionate using geraniol and propionic acid as substrates in solvent-free system led to a reaction conversion of 42 ± 1.5%.(AU)

Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex Maiden inoculated with Pisolithus microcarpus (UFSC-Pt116) in land subject to the sandy process in southern Brazil

Eucalypts is one of the main species used for commercial reforestation in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This study aimed to evaluate the survival and early growth of eucalyptus trees in an area subject to sandy process after three years of growth. The Eucalyptus grandis seedlings were grown in a greenhouse, innoculated or not with the isolated ectomycorrhizal Pisolithus microcarpus (UFSC-Pt116), produced in peat or Entisol. After 120 days, the seedlings were transplanted to an area subject to the sandy process, in the city of São Francisco de Assis, RS. The plants have been evaluated regarding survival, height, stem diameter, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium levels and total phosphorus, inorganic phosphorus, organic phosphorus and wood production on different days after planting. The seedlings grown on the Entisol which was inoculated with the isolated UFSC-Pt116 presented higher survival rates, height, stem diameter, nitrogen concentration and wood production compared to the non-inoculated seedlings. Inoculation with ectomycorrhizal fungi enhanced the production of E. grandis seedlings in survival rates, height, stem diameter.

Criopreservação do gênero Pleurotus a -20 °c e a -70 °c / Criopreservación del género Pleurotus a -20 ºc y -70 ºc / Criopreservation of genus Pleurotus at -20 °c and -70 °c

O desenvolvimento de técnicas de criopreservação utilizando temperaturas comerciais (-20 °C) na conservação de Basidiomicetos é uma vantagem técnica e econômica para a produção de biomassa e/ou biocompostos, porém geralmente associada a problemas de danos celulares. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o uso de substratos para o crescimento do fungo associado a agentes crioprotetores na criopreservação a -20 ºC e a -70 ºC do gênero Pleurotus. O fungo, crescido em ágar-batata-dextrose ou em grãos de aveia, foi criopreservado a -20 °C e a -70 °C na presença dos crioprotetores glicerol, dimetilsulfóxido, glicose, sacarose, extrato de malte e polietilenoglicol. Foram discutidas as vantagens do substrato em associação com o crioprotetor, nas diversas temperaturas de crioproteção. Concluiu-se que o substrato utilizado para o crescimento do micélio influencia na viabilidade de recuperação do fungo criopreservado, em ambas as temperaturas, sendo que grãos de aveia promovem melhor recuperação do fungo e melhor vigor micelial. Os resultados sugerem uma simplificação técnica e redução de custos de manutenção de linhagens de Basidiomicetos.(AU)

The development of cryopreservation techniques using commercial temperatures (-20 °C) to preserve Basidiomycetes is an economical advantage for biomass and/or biocompound production; however, it is usually associated to cellular damages. The objective of this work was to evaluate the use of substrates for the fungus growth associated to cryoprotectants for the cryopreservation of Genus Pleurotus at -20ºC and -70ºC. The fungus, grown in either potato dextrose agar or oat grains, was cryopreserved at -20 °C or -70 °C with glycerol, dimethyl sulfoxide, glucose, sucrose, malt extract and polyethyleneglycol. The advantages of the substrate associated with the cryoprotectant at different cryopreservation temperatures were discussed. It was concluded that the substrate used for the mycelial growth positively influences the viability of the recovery of the cryopreserved fungus on both temperatures oat grains promote better recovery and mycelial vigor. Those results suggest technical simplification and reduction of maintenance costs of culture collections of Basidiomycetes.(AU)

El desarrollo de técnicas de criopreservación utilizando temperaturas comerciales (-20ºC) en la conservación de Basidiomicetos es una ventaja técnica y económica para la producción de biomasa y/o biocompuestos, pero generalmente está asociada a problemas de daños celulares. El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar el uso de substratos para el crecimiento del hongo, asociado a agentes crioprotectores en la criopreservación a -20ºC y a -70ºC del género PleurotUs. Elhongo, crecido en agar-patata-dextrosa o en granos de avena, fue criopreservado a -20ºC y a -70ºC en la presencia de los crioprotectores glicerol, dimetilsulfóxido, glucosa, sacarosa, extracto de malte y polietilenoglicol. Fueron discutidas las ventajas del substrato en asociación con el crioprotector, en las diversas temperaturas de crioprotección. Se concluyó que el substrato utilizado para el crecimiento del micelio influencia en la viabilidad de recuperación del hongo criopreservado, en ambas las temperaturas, siendo que granos de avena promueven mejor recuperación del hongo y mejor vigor del micelio. Los resultados sugieren una simplificación técnica y reducción de costos de manutención de liñajes de Basidiomicetos.(AU)