In vivo and in vitro efficient textile wastewater remediation by Aspergillus niger biosorbent

Biosorption of Remazol Brilliant Blue R textile dye using Clostridium beijerinckii by biorefinery approach

The current study proposes RBBR biosorption by Clostridium beijerinckii DSMZ 6422 biomass remaining after biobutanol production from pumpkin peel (PP) by a zero-waste approach. Efficient biobutanol production was achieved by investigating initial PP concentrations (5-20% without or with enzymatic hydrolysis) and fermentation time. According to this, the highest concentrations of biobutanol and total ABE were obtained as 4.87 g/L and 8.13 g/L in the presence of 10% PP without enzymatic hydrolysis at 96 h. Furthermore, based on the zero-waste approach, C. beijerinckii DSMZ 6422 biomass obtained after biofuel production was used as a biosorbent for the removal of RBBR dye. Response surface methodology (RSM), commonly utilized for the experimental design, was used to specify the optimized biosorption conditions of RBBR, including initial dye concentration (50-200 mg/L), initial pH (2-6), biosorbent concentration (1-3 g/L), and contact time (0-240 min). The highest biosorption under optimized conditions with RSM was 98% in the presence of 194.36 mg/L RBBR and 2.65 g/L biosorbent at pH 2 and 15 min. This is the first report in the literature about the biosorption of RBBR dye by anaerobic C. beijerinckii biomass after the biobutanol production process. This study also shows the efficient usage of agricultural and microbial wastes in different areas based on zero-waste applications.

Removal of pharmaceutical compounds and toxicology study in wastewater using Malaysian fungal Ganoderma lucidum

Elevated usage of pharmaceutical products leads to the accumulation of emerging contaminants in sewage. In the current work, Ganoderma lucidum (GL) was used to remove pharmaceutical compounds (PCs), proposed as a tertiary method in sewage treatment plants (STPs). The PCs consisted of a group of painkillers (ketoprofen, diclofenac, and dexamethasone), psychiatrists (carbamazepine, venlafaxine, and citalopram), beta-blockers (atenolol, metoprolol, and propranolol), and anti-hypertensives (losartan and valsartan). The performance of 800 mL of synthetic water, effluent STP, and hospital wastewater (HWW) was evaluated. Parameters, including treatment time, inoculum volume, and mechanical agitation speed, have been tested. The toxicity of the GL after treatment is being studied based on exposure levels to zebrafish embryos (ZFET) and the morphology of the GL has been observed via Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). The findings conclude that GL can reduce PCs from <10% to >90%. Diclofenac and valsartan are the highest (>90%) in the synthetic model, while citalopram and propranolol (>80%) are in the real wastewater. GL effectively removed pollutants in 48 h, 1% of the inoculum volume, and 50 rpm. The ZFET showed GL is non-toxic (LC50 is 209.95 mg/mL). In the morphology observation, pellets GL do not show major differences after treatment, showing potential to be used for a longer treatment time and to be re-useable in the system. GL offers advantages to removing PCs in water due to their non-specific extracellular enzymes that allow for the biodegradation of PCs and indicates a good potential in real-world applications as a favourable alternative treatment.

Investigation of Physicochemical Characteristics of Aspergillus niger Biomass and Examination of Its Ability to Separate Butyl Acetate Isomers

Aspergillus niger is a species of fungus that is widely found in natural ecosystems and has an important role in various industrial fields and is readily available. To study the adhesion of microbial cells to solid substrates and to improve their properties, physicochemical characterization of microorganisms is extremely important. For this purpose, in this study, the surface properties of A. niger biomass were determined at low cost and with high accuracy by inverse gas chromatography (IGC), a physicochemical characterization technique. IGC experiments were conducted between 303.2 and 328.2 K at infinite dilution. Among these temperatures, various organic solvent vapors were passed over the A. niger biomass considered as stationary phase and their retention behavior was studied. Using the raw data, net retention volumes were calculated and retention diagrams were drawn. From the linear retention diagrams, the dispersive surface energy was calculated according to Dorris-Gray (48.73-46.09 mJ/m2), Donnet-Park (47.12-44.50 mJ/m2), Schultz (46.88-42.45 mJ/m2), and Hamieh (76.42-64.06 mJ/m2) methods. With the IGC method, the acidity-basicity parameters of A. niger biomass were determined and it was found that the surface was basic (K D / K A = 4.871 ). In the second part of this study, the butyl acetate isomer series, which are difficult to be separated by conventional methods, were effectively separated by the IGC method using A. niger stationary phase.

Synthesis, characterization, and reusability of novel nanobiocomposite of endophytic fungus Aspergillus flavus and magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4) with dye bioremediation potential

The incorrect disposal of textile dyes, such as Reactive Black 5 (RB5), causes several problems for living beings and the quality of the environment. Nanobiocomposites (NBC) produced from endophytic fungi (potentially remediation dyes-agents) and magnetic nanoparticles have high biotechnological potential due to their superparamagnetic behavior, which would allow their recovery through the magnetic field after the bioremediation process. This work aimed to obtain a new nanobiocomposite from the interaction of magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4) with the endophyte Aspergillus flavus (Af-CL-7) to evaluate its bioremediation capacity and to reduce the toxicity of RB5 and its reuse. Before obtaining the NBC, Af-CL-7 showed discoloration of RB5 and it was tolerant to all tested concentrations of this dye. The discovery of the nanobiocomposite textile dye bioremediator product presents a significant environmental advantage by addressing the issue of water pollution caused by textile dyes. The NBC called Af-Fe3O4 was successfully obtained with the magnetized endophyte, and their magnetic properties were verified by VSM analysis and by action of magnetic fields generated by Nd-Fe-B magnets SEM analyzes showed that the nanoparticles did not cause any damage to the hypha morphology, and TEM analyzes confirmed the presence of nanoparticles in the fungus wall and also inside the cell. The NBC Af-Fe3O4 and Af-CL-7 showed, respectively, 96.1% and 92.2% of RB5 discoloration in the first use, 91.1% e 86.2% of discoloration in the validation test, and 89.0% in NBC reuse. In the toxicological bioassay with Lactuca sativa seeds, NBC showed a positive reduction in the toxicity of RB5 after treatment, allowing the hypocotyl growth to be statistically similar to the control with water. Thus, we highlight the promising obtaining process of NBC that could be applied in bioremediation of contaminated waters, wherein the industrial economic cost will depend on the fermentation efficiency, biomass production and nanoparticle synthesis.

Innovative Approaches to Fungal Food Production: Mycelial Pellet Morphology Insights

Mycelia products enhance edible mushrooms in alignment with future sustainability trends. To meet forthcoming market demands, the morphology of mycelial pellets was optimized for direct consumption. Among ten commercial edible mushrooms in Taiwan, Pleurotus sp. was selected for its rapid growth and was identified via an internal transcribed spacer sequence. A combination of Plackett-Burman design and Taguchi's L9(34) orthogonal table revealed the optimal formula as potato dextrose broth (2.4%), olive oil (2%), calcium carbonate (0.5%), yeast extract (0.75%), and soy flour (0.5%). This led to a biomass increase to 19.9 ± 1.1 g/L, resulting in a 2.17-fold yield increase. To refine morphology, image processing by ImageJ quantified spherical characteristics. The addition of 0.2 to 1.0% Tween 80 enhanced pellet compaction by over 50%. Dilution of the medium improved uniformity (0.85) and conversion rate (42%), yielding mycelial pellets with 2.10 ± 0.52 mm diameters and a yield of 15.1 ± 0.6 g/L. These findings provide an alternative evaluation and application of edible mycelial pellets as future food.

Current insights into the microbial degradation of nicosulfuron: Strains, metabolic pathways, and molecular mechanisms

Nicosulfuron is among the sulfonylurea herbicides that are widely used to control annual and perennial grass weeds in cornfields. However, nicosulfuron residues in the environment are likely to cause long-lasting harmful environmental and biological effects. Nicosulfuron degrades via photo-degradation, chemical hydrolysis, and microbial degradation. The latter is crucial for pesticide degradation and has become an essential strategy to remove nicosulfuron residues from the environment. Most previous studies have focused on the screening, degradation characteristics, and degradation pathways of biodegrader microorganisms. The isolated nicosulfuron-degrading strains include Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Alcaligenes, Rhodopseudomonas, Ochrobactrum, Micrococcus, Serratia, Penicillium, Aspergillus, among others, all of which have good degradation efficiency. Two main intermediates, 2-amino-4,6-dimethoxypyrimidine (ADMP) and 2-aminosulfonyl-N,N-dimethylnicotinamide (ASDM), are produced during microbial degradation and are derived from the C-N, C-S, and S-N bond breaks on the sulfonylurea bridge, covering almost every bacterial degradation pathway. In addition, enzymes related to the degradation of nicosulfuron have been identified successively, including the manganese ABC transporter (hydrolase), Flavin-containing monooxygenase (oxidase), and E3 (esterase). Further in-depth studies based on molecular biology and genetics are needed to elaborate on their role in the evolution of novel catabolic pathways and the microbial degradation of nicosulfuron. To date, few reviews have focused on the microbial degradation and degradation mechanisms of nicosulfuron. This review summarizes recent advances in nicosulfuron degradation and comprehensively discusses the potential of nicosulfuron-degrading microorganisms for bioremediating contaminated environments, providing a reference for further research development on nicosulfuron biodegradation in the future.

Potential Application of Innovative Aspergillus terreus/ Sodium Alginate Composite Beads as Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Adsorbents for Alizarin Red S Dye: Isotherms and Kinetics Models

Fungi were used as one of the most common bioremediation methods. From this perspective, our study highlights the optimization of Alizarin Red S (ARS) dye adsorption performance for the sodium alginate (SA) by using the fungus Aspergillus terreus (A. terreus) to form a composite bead and the possibility of its reusability. This was accomplished by mixing SA with different ratios of biomass powder of A. terreus, including 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%, to form composite beads of A. terreus/SA-0%, A. terreus/SA-10%, A. terreus/SA-20%, A. terreus/SA-30%, and A. terreus/SA-40%, respectively. The ARS adsorption characteristics of these composite mixtures were analyzed at various mass ratios, temperatures, pH values, and initial concentrations. Moreover, sophisticated techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), were employed to detect the morphological and chemical properties of this composite, respectively. The experimental results revealed that A. terreus/SA-20% composite beads have the highest adsorption capacity of 188 mg/g. Its optimum adsorption conditions were achieved at 45 ∘C and pH 3. Moreover, the ARS adsorption was well explained by the Langmuir isotherm (q_m = 192.30 mg/g) and pseudo-second-order and intra-particle diffusion kinetics. The SEM and FTIR findings corroborated the superior uptake of A. terreus/SA-20% composite beads. Lastly, the A. terreus/SA-20% composite beads can be employed as an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to other common adsorbents for ARS.

Eco-friendly detoxification of hazardous Congo red dye using novel fungal strain Trametes flavida WTFP2: Deduced enzymatic biomineralization process through combinatorial in-silico and in-vitro studies

Growing textile industry is a major global concern, owing to the presence of recalcitrant hazardous pollutants, like synthetic dyes in discharged effluents. To explore new bioresources for mycoremediation, a high laccase-producing novel white-rot fungus (WRF), Trametes flavida WTFP2, was employed. T. flavida is an underexplored member of Polyporales. Using bioinformatic tools, 8 different cis-acting RNA elements were identified in the 5.8 S ITS gene sequence, where CRISPR (CRISPR-DR15), sRNA (RUF1), and snoRNA (ceN111) are uniquely present. Molecular docking was adopted to predict the catalytic interaction of chosen toxic diazo colorant, Congo red (CR), with four dye-degrading enzymes (laccase, lignin peroxidase, azoreductase, and aryl alcohol oxidase). With 376.41 × 10³ U/L laccase production, novel WRF exhibited dye-decolorization potential. WTFP2 effectively removed 99.48 ± 0.04% CR (100 mg/L) and demonstrated remarkable recyclability and persistence in consecutive remediation trials. Mycelial dye adsorption was not only substantial driver of colorant elimination; decolorization using active T. flavida was regulated by enzymatic catalysis, as outlined by in-vitro growth, induction of extracellular enzymes, and FESEM. Fifteen metabolites were identified using HRLCMS-QTOF, and novel CR degradation pathway was proposed. Furthermore, microbial and phyto-toxicity tests of metabolites suggested complete detoxification of toxic dye, making the process clean, green, and economically sustainable.

Graphene oxide enabled self-assembly of silver trimolybdate nanowires into robust membranes for nanosolid capture and molecular separation

A graphene oxide (GO) assisted self-assembly strategy for growing a silver trimolybdate nanowire membrane with capabilities of nanosolid capture and small molecule separation is reported. Thanks to the GO bridges and the accurate self-assembly process, the resulting membrane exhibits outstanding mechanical properties (can withstand 4300 times its weight) and impressively high porosity (97%). On the basis of the robustness and high porosity of the membrane, column-shaped filter apparatus has been fabricated, in which the membrane served as a self-standing permeation barrier to assess its permeability and practical application as a nanosolid filter and molecule filter. The permeability test of the membrane with pure water uncovers that the membrane exhibits fast permeability while driven by hydrostatic pressure only because of its significantly high porosity. The separation test of the membrane with P25 TiO₂ solution, 13 nm Au solution, and yellow-emitting CdTe QDs reveals that all the tiny nanosolids are completely removed from the solution, which suggests that the membrane is an efficient nanosolid filter. Its efficiency is increased by the induction of surface collision from numerous nanowire barriers and the deposition of nanosolids on the nanowire surface. The separation test of the membrane with a mixed-dye solution reveals that sulfur containing methylene blue (MB) molecules are highly efficiently extracted under various chemical conditions, evidencing that the membrane is an ideal molecule filter too. Its high selectivity and high efficiency originated from the Ag-S bonding between the interlayered silver ions of the silver trimolybdate nanowire and the sulfur atom of MB molecules. Based on the above results, the silver trimolybdate nanowire membrane has been applied to purify drugs, which successfully removed sulbactam sodium impurity F from sulbactam sodium, demonstrating a purity increment from 98.92% to 99.93%. The present work should provide a significant step forward to bringing macroscopic 1D nanomaterial architectures much closer to real-world applications involving isolation and enrichment of catalyst reclamation, high-value chemical recovery, drug purification, and environmental remediation.

One-step co-cultivation and flocculation of microalgae with filamentous fungi to valorize starch wastewater into high-value biomass

A novel method of one-step co-cultivation and harvesting of microalgae and fungi, for efficient starch wastewater treatment and high-value biomass production was developed. By combination of Aspergillus oryzae and Chlorella pyrenoidosa, nutrients in wastewater could be converted to useful microbial biomass, while the wastewater was purified. Moreover, the microalgae C. pyrenoidosa could gradually be encapsulated in fungal pellets which promoted the biomass harvesting. The free algal cells could be completely harvested by fungal pellets within 72 h. The synergistic effects between them greatly improved the removal efficiencies of main pollutants as the removal efficiency of COD, TN, and TP reached 92.08, 83.56, and 96.58 %, respectively. In addition, the final biomass concentration was higher than that of individual cultures. The protein and lipid concentration was also significantly improved and reached 1.92 and 0.99 g/L, respectively. This study provides a simple and efficient strategy for simultaneous wastewater treatment and high-value biomass production.

Aspergillus niger Culture Filtrate (ACF) Mediated Biocontrol of Enteric Pathogens in Wastewater

Robust control of pathogens in sewage facilitates safe reuse of wastewater rich in valuable nutrients for potential valorization through biological means. Aspergillus niger is widely reported in bioremediation of wastewater but studies on control of enteric pathogens in sewage are very sparse. So, this study aimed at exploring the antibacterial and nematicidal activity of A. niger culture filtrate (ACF). Antibacterial activity of ACF on enteric pathogens (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella enterica, Shigella dysenteriae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella variicola) was determined by spectrophotometric growth analysis, resazurin based viability assay and biofilm formation assay. ACF showed inhibition against all enteric pathogens except Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Nematicidal studies on Caenorhabditis elegans showed 85% egg hatch inhibition and 52% mortality of L1 larvae. Sewage treatment with ACF at 1:1 (v/v) showed 2–3 log reduction in coliforms, Klebsiella, Shigella, Salmonella, S. aureus and Vibrio except Pseudomonas, indicating significant alteration of complex microbial dynamics in wastewater. Application of ACF can potentially be used as a robust biocontrol strategy against infectious microbes in wastewater and subsequent valorization by cultivating beneficial Pseudomonas.

Biological remediation technologies for dyes and heavy metals in wastewater treatment: New insight

The pollution of the environment caused by dyes and heavy metals emitted by industries has become a worldwide problem. The development of efficient, environmentally acceptable, and cost-effective methods of wastewater treatment containing dyes and heavy metals is critical. Biologically based techniques for treating effluents are fascinating since they provide several benefits over standard treatment methods. This review assesses the most recent developments in the use of biological based techniques to remove dyes and heavy metals from wastewater. The remediation of dyes and heavy metals by diverse microorganisms such as algae, bacteria, fungi and enzymes are depicted in detail. Ongoing biological method's advances, scientific prospects, problems, and the future prognosis are all highlighted. This review is useful for gaining a better integrated view of biological based wastewater treatment and for speeding future research on the function of biological methods in water purification applications.

Sustainable removal of Ni(II) from waste water by freshly isolated fungal strains

The release of untreated wastewater containing biotoxic substances in the form of heavy metals is one of the most crucial environmental and health challenges faced by our community. The recent advances in microbes derived removal has propelled bioremediation as a better and effective alternative to conventional techniques. Present study investigates the detoxification mechanisms evolved by the nickel (Ni(II)) resistant fungal strains, isolated from the industrial drain sites. The molecular detailing of the isolated fungal isolates confirms their identity as Neurospora crassa and Aspergillus flavus. Laboratory-scale experiments have established influence of different ranges of dose, pH, time, and metal concentration on the removal and uptake trends. Further, the variations in the carbon and nitrogen sources and agitation conditions has revealed the best substratum for achieving optimum results for the industrial exploitation of these microbes. SEM micrographs and FTIR spectra elucidates the superficial alterations on the mycelium of the fungal isolates and the involvement of active functional groups in the bioremediation of Ni(II) respectively. Biosorption of Ni(II) on living biomass has followed the Langmuir adsorption model. The findings of the study have provided a promising insight in the simultaneous action of different mechanistic removal approaches to explore a large scale removal of Ni(II) from the waste generating industries.

The war using microbes: A sustainable approach for wastewater management

Anthropogenic activities and population growth have resulted in a reduced availability of drinking water. To ensure consistency in the existence of drinking water, it is inevitable to establish wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). 70% of India's rural population was found to be without WWTP, waste disposal, and good sanitation. Wastewater has emerged from kitchens, washrooms, etc., with industry activities. This scenario caused severe damage to water resources, leading to degradation of water quality and pathogenic insects. Thus, it is a need of an hour to prompt for better WWTPs for both rural and urban areas. Many parts of the world have started to face severe water shortages in recent years, and wastewater reuse methods need to be updated. Clean water supply is not enough to satisfy the needs of the planet as a whole, and the majority of freshwater in the polar regions takes the form of ice and snow. The increasing population requires clean water for drinks, hygiene, irrigation, and various other applications. Lack of water and contamination of water result from human activities. 90% of wastewater is released to water systems without treatment in developing countries. Studies show that about 730 megatons of waste are annually discharged into water from sewages and other effluents. The sustenance of water resources, applying wastewater treatment technologies, and calling down the percentage of potable water has to be strictly guided by mankind. This review compares the treatment of domestic sewage to its working conditions, energy efficiency, etc. In this review, several treatment methods with different mechanisms involved in waste treatment, industrial effluents, recovery/recycling were discussed. The feasibility of bioaugmentation should eventually be tested through data from field implementation as an important technological challenge, and this analysis identifies many promising areas to be explored in the future.

Assimilation of Cholesterol by Monascus purpureus

Monascus purpureus, a filamentous fungus known for its fermentation of red yeast rice, produces the metabolite monacolin K used in statin drugs to inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis. In this study, we show that active cultures of M. purpureus CBS 109.07, independent of secondary metabolites, use the mechanism of cholesterol assimilation to lower cholesterol in vitro. We describe collection, extraction, and gas chromatography-flame ionized detection (GC-FID) methods to quantify the levels of cholesterol remaining after incubation of M. purpureus CBS 109.07 with exogenous cholesterol. Our findings demonstrate that active growing M. purpureus CBS 109.07 can assimilate cholesterol, removing 36.38% of cholesterol after 48 h of incubation at 37 °C. The removal of cholesterol by resting or dead M. purpureus CBS 109.07 was not significant, with cholesterol reduction ranging from 2.75-9.27% throughout a 72 h incubation. Cholesterol was also not shown to be catabolized as a carbon source. Resting cultures transferred from buffer to growth media were able to reactivate, and increases in cholesterol assimilation and growth were observed. In growing and resting phases at 24 and 72 h, the production of the mycotoxin citrinin was quantified via high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) and found to be below the limit of detection. The results indicate that M. purpureus CBS 109.07 can reduce cholesterol content in vitro and may have a potential application in probiotics.

Textiles wastewater treatment technology: A review

The following is a review of published literature on textile wastewater in 2019. Presented are the sections described for the review: concise introduction on the textiles wastewater, followed by a review of present textile treatment technologies organized by physicochemical, biological, and combined processes. Lastly, a discussion of the future topics is presented. PRACTITIONER POINTS: The discharge of textile dye wastewater represents a serious environmental problem and public health concern. Effluents from textile manufacturing, dyeing, and finishing processes contain high-concentration recalcitrant chemicals that are resistant to biodegradation. The textile wastewater needs environmental-friendly and cost-effective combined treatment process.

Cellulose-Cyclodextrin Co-Polymer for the Removal of Cyanotoxins on Water Sources

With increasing global water temperatures and nutrient runoff in recent decades, the blooming season of algae lasts longer, resulting in toxin concentrations that exceed safe limits for human consumption and for recreational use. From the different toxins, microcystin-LR has been reported as the main cyanotoxin related to liver cancer, and consequently its abundance in water is constantly monitored. In this work, we report a methodology for decorating cellulose nanofibrils with β-cyclodextrin or with poly(β-cyclodextrin) which were tested for the recovery of microcystin from synthetic water. The adsorption was followed by Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), allowing for real-time monitoring of the adsorption behavior. A maximum recovery of 196 mg/g was obtained with the modified by cyclodextrin. Characterization of the modified substrate was confirmed with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).