Physicochemical characterization of chitin extracted by different treatment sequences from an edible insect

Chitin present in the shell of edible insects is a potential source of chitin, lipids, and proteins, and it exerts various biological activities. Thus far, only a few studies have focused on the use of chitin as a source of high-protein-diet oligosaccharides. The use of insect chitin for the production of high-protein-diet oligosaccharides can lessen the reliance on diet crops. Moreover, although chitin composition in Tenebrio molitor larva, pupa, and adult has been extensively investigated, chitin extraction from T. molitor larval whole body and exuvium has received poor attention. The present study compared the effectiveness of two techniques for extracting high-protein-diet chitin oligosaccharide from an edible insect (T. molitor). Two different extraction sequences of chitin from the larval stage (molitor stage larvae) and adult stage (molitor stage adult) of edible T. molitor were investigated. Two processing steps were employed: (a) deproteinization (DEP) and (b) demineralization (DEM) treatments. Differences in the order, conditions, and period of their application resulted in two different chitin extraction procedures. The viscosity, degree of polymerization, and crystallinity index of the chitin extracted using the two procedures were measured, and its chemical components (chitin, ash, protein, fat, and moisture contents) were determined. T. molitor adults and larvae treated sequentially with DEM-DEP demonstrated the greatest yield of approximately 14.62 % ± 0.15 and 6.096 % ± 0.10 %, respectively. By contrast, when treated sequentially with DEP-DEM, the recorded yields were 10.96 % ± 0.18 and 5.31 % ± 0.38, respectively. Differences in the degree of deacetylation between both methods were observed. Additionally, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry of the extracted chitin along with a commercial sample revealed consistent chain conformation, mean hydrogen bonding, and crystallinity index. In this way, residues produced by farmed edible insects can be recovered and used as a novel source of chitin.

Exploring Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain OM81 for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioplastic using olive mill wastewater

In this study, bacterial strains isolated from olive oil mill wastewater assigned to Bacillus (n = 4) and Klebsiella (n = 1) genera, were evaluated for their ability to accumulate intracellular PHA granules using Sudan Black staining. A maximum PHA production of 0.14 g/L (i.e., 30.2% wt./wt. in dry biomass) was observed in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain OM81 after 72 h of incubation in the presence of 2% glucose (synthetic medium). To reduce bioplastic production costs and recover a polluting product, olive mill wastewater was tested as a carbon source. In this context, the maximum growth (1.45 g/L) was observed in the presence of 50% olive mill wastewater. After extracting the biopolymers with chloroform, quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). FTIR showed an absorption band at 1730 cm-1 assigned to the elongation of the PHB carbonyl groups. This approach offers a dual benefit of reducing pollution and bioplastic production costs. The Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain OM81 showed promising results for PHAs production, making it a potential candidate for further investigation.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-023-03808-4.

Efficient Wastewater Treatment and Removal of Bisphenol A and Diclofenac in Mesocosm Flow Constructed Wetlands Using Granulated Cork as Emerged Substrate

Constructed wetlands (CWs) are considered as low-cost and energy-efficient wastewater treatment systems. Media selection is one of the essential technical keys for their implementation. The purpose of this work was essentially to evaluate the removal efficiency of organic pollution and nitrogen from municipal wastewater (MWW) using different selected media (gravel/gravel amended with granulated cork) in mesocosm horizontal flow constructed wetlands (HFCWs). The results showed that the highest chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonium nitrogen removal of 80.53% and 42%, respectively, were recorded in the units filled with gravel amended with cork. The influence of macrophytes (Phragmites australis and Typha angustifolia) was studied and both species showed steeper efficiencies. The system was operated under different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) i.e., 6 h, 24 h, 30 h, and 48 h. The obtained results revealed that the COD removal efficiency was significantly enhanced by up to 38% counter to the ammonium rates when HRT was increased from 6 h to 48 h. Moreover, the removal efficiency of two endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) namely, bisphenol A (BPA) and diclofenac (DCF) was investigated in two selected HFCWs, at 48 h HRT. The achieved results proved the high capacity of cork for BPA and DCF removal with the removal rates of 90.95% and 89.66%, respectively. The results confirmed the role of these engineered systems, especially for EDC removal, which should be further explored.

Optimization of thermostable proteases production under agro-wastes solid-state fermentation by a new thermophilic Mycothermus thermophilus isolated from a hydrothermal spring Hammam Debagh, Algeria

The present work investigates for the first time the presence and isolation of the thermophilic fungi from hydrothermal spring situated at the locality of Guelma, in the Northeast of Algeria. The production of the thermostable proteases and the optimization of culture conditions under agro-wastes solid-state fermentation to achieve optimal production capacity were explored. A statistical experimental approach consisting of two designs was used to determine the optimum culture conditions and to attain the greatest enzyme production. Besides, different agricultural wastes were initially evaluated as a substrate, whereby wheat bran was selected for enzyme production by the isolate under solid-state conditions. The isolate thermophilic fungi were identified as Mycothermus thermophilus by sequencing the ITS region of the rDNA (NCBI Accession No: MK770356.1). Among the various screened variables: the temperature, the inoculum size, and the moisture were proved to have the most significant effects on protease activity. Employing two-level fractional Plackett-Burman and a Box-Behnken designs statistical approach helped in identifying optimum values of screened factors and their interactions. The analysis showed up 6.17-fold improvement in the production of proteases (~1187.03 U/mL) was achieved under the optimal conditions of moisture content 47%, inoculum 5 × 10⁵ spores/g, and temperature at 42 °C. These significant findings highlight the importance of the statistical design in isolation of Mycothermus thermophilus species from a specific location as well as identifying the optimal culture conditions for maximum yield.

Innovative Research Approaches to Cope with Water Security in Africa

To achieve a water-secure world, water management should be approached from a multidimensional and integrative perspective, addressing the water-related issues of health, household supply, economics, the environment, and resilience to water-related and climate change hazards. Although water security has significantly improved since 2000 in Africa, there are still vast inequalities in access to water suitable in terms of quantity and quality, especially in rural areas. To achieve water-related sustainable development of African economies, a broad scope of innovative technological and management solutions is required, involving governments, research institutions, private sector parties, and civil society. This special series, composed of 8 papers, illustrates a selection of the most relevant results achieved by the 7 research projects selected and financed by the European Union under 2 dedicated Horizon 2020 calls in 2015: Water-5b-2015 "A coordination platform" and Water-5c-2015 "Development of water supply and sanitation technology, systems and tools, and/or methodologies." The innovations presented in this special series include both technological advancements and w'ater management approaches, given that the development of water-related technologies in developing countries needs to be integrated into water management strategies and economic instruments. This special series aims to help policy makers take informed decisions on how to implement innovative approaches to increase water security in African countries. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:853-855. © 2020 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Decision Support Tool for Water Reclamation Beyond Technical Considerations-Egyptian, Moroccan, and Tunisian Case Studies

While the Middle East and North African (MENA) region is facing challenges to sustain water security, water reclamation has received increasing consideration as a favorable mitigating solution. Despite the availability of adequate technologies, economic, political, legal, social, and environmental constraints often hamper stakeholders, and especially decision makers, from exploiting the existing potential into solution implementation. In the present paper, a comprehensive assessment for water reclamation and reuse was developed. This assessment consisted of 4 objectives: 1) apply a decision-support tool (DST) for water reclamation potential for municipal wastewater, 2) apply a DST for simulating and estimating the lifecycle costs of project-related technologies for water reclamation (municipal and industrial wastewater, as well as drainage canal water), 3) assess the national-level conditions for water reuse with a multicriteria decision analysis (MCA), and 4) establish exemplary strategies, barriers, and measures for water reuse. The present MCA considered 6 thematic subjects: policy and institution, economy, society, water management, legislation, and environment. The assessment was applied to food and nonfood crop irrigation in Egyptian, Moroccan, and Tunisian case studies. For all defined case studies, adapted treatment trains that could treat wastewater to the desired quality at reasonable costs were identified and are presented in the present paper. Results showed that technological options are available for water reuse, but the concept is not widely implemented in Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia. The present paper identifies key barriers and drivers for the implementation of water reclamation for irrigation. In particular, the considered countries showed different characteristics regarding efficient water management, water pricing, subsidies and wastewater tariffs, implementation of monitoring and reporting systems, or legal aspects regarding the use of reclaimed water for food crop irrigation. Further exploration of case studies on high potential water reuse and financially affordable wastewater reclamation, particularly case studies that explore the impacts of policies and practices across countries, would be useful for helping the MENA region improve their water security situation. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:885-897. © 2020 SETAC.

Treatment of olive mill wastewater through employing sequencing batch reactor: performance and microbial diversity assessment

This work describes the performance of a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) and the involvement of a novel reconstituted bacterial consortium in olive mill wastewater (OMW) treatment. The organic loading rate applied to the SBR was serially increased in terms of initial COD from 10 to 75 g L^-1 to allow gradual acclimatization of activated sludge to high concentrations of toxic compounds in OMW. After the acclimatization period, up to 60% of the total COD content were effectively biodegraded from OMW at 75 g L^-1 COD within 30 day hydraulic retention time. The diversity and community composition of cultivable bacteria participating in the aerobic process of treating OMW were further assessed. A total of 91 bacterial strains were isolated from the reactor and analyzed by amplification of the 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The most abundant phylum was Firmicutes (57.1%) followed by Proteobacteria (35.2%) and Actinobacteria (7.7%). The use of the Biolog® Phenotype Microarray system to evaluate the ability of isolated strains to utilize OMW phenolic compounds is reported in this work for the first time. Interestingly, results showed that all species tested were able to utilize phenolics as sole carbon and energy sources. The removals of COD and phenolics from undiluted OMW by the reconstituted bacterial consortium were almost similar to those obtained by the acclimatized activated sludge, which suggest that cultivable bacteria play the major role in OMW biodegradation. Phytotoxicity assays using tomato seeds showed a significant improvement of seed germination values for treated OMW. Our overall results suggest that the novel developed bacterial consortium could be considered as a good prospect for phenolics-rich wastewaters bioremediation applications.

Integrated technological and management solutions for wastewater treatment and efficient agricultural reuse in Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia

Mediterranean-African countries (MACs) face a major water crisis. The annual renewable water resources are close to the 500 m³ /capita threshold of absolute water scarcity, and water withdrawals exceed total renewable water resources by 30%. Such a low water availability curbs economic development in agriculture, which accounts for 86% of freshwater consumption. The analysis of the current situation of wastewater treatment, irrigation, and water management in MACs and of the research projects targeted to these countries indicates the need for 1) an enhanced capacity to analyze water stress, 2) the development of water management strategies capable of including wastewater reuse, and 3) development of locally adapted water treatment and irrigation technologies. This analysis shaped the MADFORWATER project (www.madforwater.eu), whose goal is to develop a set of integrated technological and management solutions to enhance wastewater treatment, wastewater reuse for irrigation, and water efficiency in agriculture in Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia. MADFORWATER develops and adapts technologies for the production of irrigation-quality water from drainage canals and municipal, agro-industrial, and industrial wastewaters and technologies for water efficiency and reuse in agriculture, initially validated at laboratory scale, to 3 hydrological basins in the selected MACs. Selected technologies will be further adapted and validated in 4 demonstration plants of integrated wastewater treatment and reuse. Integrated strategies for wastewater treatment and reuse targeted to the selected basins are developed, and guidelines for the development of integrated water management strategies in other basins of the 3 target MACs will be produced. The social and technical suitability of the developed technologies and nontechnological tools in relation to the local context is evaluated with the participation of MAC stakeholders and partners. Guidelines on economic instruments and policies for the effective implementation of the proposed water management solutions in the target MACs will be developed. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:447-462. © 2018 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Pseudomonas extremorientalis BU118: a new salt-tolerant laccase-secreting bacterium with biotechnological potential in textile azo dye decolourization

The present investigation focused on screening of a new potent strain for laccase production and optimizing the process parameters to achieve the maximum enzymatic decolourization of textile azo dye Congo red. Seven hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial strains were selected as positive in laccase production in solid medium using 2,6 dimethoxyphenol as an enzyme activity indicator. The best enzyme producer Pseudomonas extremorientalis BU118 showed a maximum laccase activity of about 7000 U/L of wheat bran under solid-state conditions. The influence of different concentrations of dye, enzyme, salt and various incubation times on Congo red decolourization was studied using response surface methodology to find the optimum conditions required for maximum decolourization by P. extremorientalis laccase. The enzyme exhibited a remarkable colour removal capability over a wide range of dye and salt concentrations. The above results show the potential use of this bacterial laccase in the biological treatment of the textile effluent.

Biosynthesis of single-cell biomass from olive mill wastewater by newly isolated yeasts

The aim of this study was to assess the potential of newly isolated yeast strains Schwanniomyces etchellsii M2 and Candida pararugosa BM24 to produce yeast biomass on olive mill wastewater (OMW). Maximum biomass yield was obtained at 75% (v/v) OMW, after 96 h of incubation at 30 °C and 5% (v/v) inoculum size. The optimal carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio was in the range of 8:1 to 10:1, and ammonium chloride was selected as the most suitable nitrogen source. Under these conditions, a maximum biomass production of 15.11 and 21.68 g L(-1) was achieved for Schwanniomyces etchellsii M2 and Candida pararugosa BM24, respectively. Proteins were the major constituents of yeast cells (35.9-39.4% dry weight), lipids were 2.8-5% dry weight, and ash ranged from 4.8 to 9.5 % dry weight. Besides biomass production, yeast strains were also able to reduce toxicity and polluting parameter levels of the spent OMW-based medium. The practical results presented show that pH rose from initial value of 5.5 to 7.24-7.45 after fermentation. Approximately 23.1-41.4% of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and 15.4-19.2% of the phenolic compounds were removed. The removal of phenolic compounds was associated with their biodegradation and their partial adsorption on yeast cells.

Newly isolated yeasts from Tunisian microhabitats: Lipid accumulation and fatty acid composition

Newly isolated yeasts from different Tunisian microhabitats, such as soil, milk, olive brine, vinegar, and from olive mill wastewater-contaminated biotopes were extensively studied for their biochemical arsenal and morphological features, i.e. cell, ascospore, and lipid body morphology. All strains were classified into the Ascomycota phylum. However, they showed great functional diversity, including different morphological and biochemical features, lipid production ability, and fatty acid profiles. Accordingly, the strains were placed in three different groups: Group I, which includes Candida species; Group II (Pichia and related); and Group III (Kluyveromyces marxianus strain CC1). Group I and II were characterized by a high percentage of oleic acid (41.6-65.3% of total lipids) while in Group III, linoleic acid was the major fatty acid (37.2%). Members of Group I and II were further grouped into subgroups according to their fatty acid composition. Among the newly isolated strains, Pichia etchellsii BM1 was able to accumulate around 25% wt/wt lipid per dry cell mass and thus characterized as oleaginous. Some other strains, such as Candida metapsilosis strain EL2, C. parapsilosis strain LV2, C. pararugosa strain BM24, and K. marxianus strain CC1, which are able to produce extracellular lipases, may be of interest for specific environmental applications and/or for the production of novel lipases.

Allochthonous bioaugmentation in ex situ treatment of crude oil-polluted sediments in the presence of an effective degrading indigenous microbiome

Oil-polluted sediment bioremediation depends on both physicochemical and biological parameters, but the effect of the latter cannot be evaluated without the optimization of the former. We aimed in optimizing the physicochemical parameters related to biodegradation by applying an ex-situ landfarming set-up combined with biostimulation to oil-polluted sediment, in order to determine the added effect of bioaugmentation by four allochthonous oil-degrading bacterial consortia in relation to the degradation efficiency of the indigenous community. We monitored hydrocarbon degradation, sediment ecotoxicity and hydrolytic activity, bacterial population sizes and bacterial community dynamics, characterizing the dominant taxa through time and at each treatment. We observed no significant differences in total degradation, but increased ecotoxicity between the different treatments receiving both biostimulation and bioaugmentation and the biostimulated-only control. Moreover, the added allochthonous bacteria quickly perished and were rarely detected, their addition inducing minimal shifts in community structure although it altered the distribution of the residual hydrocarbons in two treatments. Therefore, we concluded that biodegradation was mostly performed by the autochthonous populations while bioaugmentation, in contrast to biostimulation, did not enhance the remediation process. Our results indicate that when environmental conditions are optimized, the indigenous microbiome at a polluted site will likely outperform any allochthonous consortium.

Pentachlorophenol degradation by Janibacter sp., a new actinobacterium isolated from saline sediment of arid land

Many pentachlorophenol- (PCP-) contaminated environments are characterized by low or elevated temperatures, acidic or alkaline pH, and high salt concentrations. PCP-degrading microorganisms, adapted to grow and prosper in these environments, play an important role in the biological treatment of polluted extreme habitats. A PCP-degrading bacterium was isolated and characterized from arid and saline soil in southern Tunisia and was enriched in mineral salts medium supplemented with PCP as source of carbon and energy. Based on 16S rRNA coding gene sequence analysis, the strain FAS23 was identified as Janibacter sp. As revealed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis, FAS23 strain was found to be efficient for PCP removal in the presence of 1% of glucose. The conditions of growth and PCP removal by FAS23 strain were found to be optimal in neutral pH and at a temperature of 30 °C. Moreover, this strain was found to be halotolerant at a range of 1-10% of NaCl and able to degrade PCP at a concentration up to 300 mg/L, while the addition of nonionic surfactant (Tween 80) enhanced the PCP removal capacity.

Improving the nutritive value of Olive Cake by solid state cultivation of the medicinal mushroom Fomes fomentarius

Olive Cake (OC) generated by the olive oil industries, well implanted in Tunisia, represents a major disposal and potentially severe pollution problem. This work presents the study of bioconversion of OC in solid state fermentation with the medicinal mushroom, Fomes fomentarius so as to upgrade its nutritional values and digestibility for its use as ruminants feed. The fungus was cultured on OC for 7-30 d, and subsequently the chemical composition, lignocellulolytic enzyme activities and in vitro digestibility of the resultant substrate were determined. The results obtained showed an increase in the crude protein ranging from 6% to 22% for the control and for treated OC, respectively. Significant (P<0.05) decreases in the values of neutral detergent fiber (hemicelluloses, cellulose and lignin), acid detergent fiber (lignin and cellulose) and acid detergent lignin were detected (23%, 13% and 10%, respectively). The estimated in vitro digestibility improved from 9% (control) to 25% (treated OC). The present findings revealed F. fomentarius to be an efficient organism for lignocellulolytic enzymes production and simultaneous enhancement in crude protein and in vitro digestibility of OC.

Purification and characterization of a highly thermostable esterase from the actinobacterium Geodermatophilus obscurus strain G20

Intracellular thermostable esterase produced by the extremophilic Geodermatophilus obscurus G20 was purified to homogeneity by a heat treatment, followed by an anion-exchange chromatography, and then characterized. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was shown to be approximatively 55 kDa. The enzyme showed an optimal activity between pH 8.0 and 9.0 and was stable in the pH range 7.0-10.0. Moreover, it is highly thermostable, with a residual activity greater than 90% after incubation at 80 °C for more than 10 h. The enzyme showed preference for esters of p -nitrophenol with short chain fatty acid. When the p -nitrophenyl acetate (C2) was used as substrate, the Michaelis-Menten constant (K(m) ) and maximum velocity for the reaction (V(max) ) of esterase were 400 μM and 2500 U/mg protein, respectively. The effect of phenylmethanesulphonyl fluoride (PMSF), a serine-specific inhibitor, on the enzyme activity suggested that the thermostable esterase belong to the serine hydrolase group. Because of its high thermostability, activity at alkaline pH, tolerance to methanol and various metal ions and specificity for short chain fatty acids, this enzyme showed high potential for use in biocatalysis. (© 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim).

Decolorization of Solophenyl Red 3BL Polyazo Dye by Laccase-Mediator System: Optimization through Response Surface Methodology

The decolorization of direct Solophenyl red 3BL (SR), a polyazo dye extensively used in textile industry was studied. The Fomes fomentarius laccase alone did not decolorize SR. The natural redox mediator, acetosyringone (AS), was necessary for decolorization to occur. Box-Behnken design was used to evaluate the effects of three parameters, namely, enzyme concentration (0.5-2.5 U mL(-1)), redox mediator concentration (3-30 μM), and incubation time (1-24 h), on the SR decolorization yield. The fitted mathematical model allowed us to plot response surfaces as well as isoresponse curves and to determine optimal decolorization conditions. The results clearly indicated that the AS concentration was the main factor influencing the SR decolorization yield. The selected optimal conditions were enzyme concentration 0.8 U mL(-1), mediator concentration 33 μM, and time 14 h 30 min. These conditions allowed 79.66% of SR decolorization versus 80.70% for the predicted value. These results showed a promising future of applying laccase-AS system for industrial wastewater bioremediation.

Application of Asymetrical and Hoke Designs for Optimization of Laccase Production by the White-Rot Fungus Fomes fomentarius in Solid-State Fermentation

Statistical approaches were employed for the optimization of different cultural parameters for the production of laccase by the white rot fungus Fomes fomentarius MUCL 35117 in wheat bran-based solid medium. first, screening of production parameters was performed using an asymmetrical design 2(5)3(3)//16, and the variables with statistically significant effects on laccase production were identified. Second, inoculum size, CaCl(2) concentration, CuSO(4) concentration, and incubation time were selected for further optimization studies using a Hoke design. The application of the response surface methodology allows us to determine a set of optimal conditions (CaCl(2), 5.5 mg/gs, CuSO(4), 2.5 mg/gs, inoculum size, 3 fungal discs (6 mm Ø), and 13 days of static cultivation). Experiments carried out under these conditions led to a laccase production yield of 150 U/g dry substrate.

Lignin modifying enzymes of Coriolopsis polyzona and their role in olive oil mill wastewaters decolourisation

In order to decolourise olive oil mill wastewaters (OOMW) efficiently, production and differential induction of ligninolytic enzymes by the white rot Coriolopsis polyzona, were studied by varying growth media composition and/or inducer addition. Among various possible inducers, veratryl alcohol appeared to be the most efficient to enhance specific productions of lignin peroxidase (LiP), manganese peroxidase (MnP) and laccase by a factor of 18.5, 20.8 and 55, respectively. Ligninolytic enzymes were better produced in glucose based medium with a low nitrogen level (2.2 mM) under O2 atmosphere. The addition of 5 mM veratryl alcohol resulted in a maximal production of LiP, whereas maximal MnP and laccase were obtained at 10 mM. LiP production was totally repressed in presence of 100 microM Mn2+. The extrapolation of these conditions on OOMW based media was carried out at different effluent dilutions and the possible role of the different ligninolytic enzymes in OOMW decolourisation was studied. A better effluent decolourisation was obtained under LiP induction condition (5 mM veratryl alcohol) than when LiP was repressed (100 microM Mn2+). Furthermore, high levels of laccase had a detrimental effect on OOMW decolourisation concomitant to the formation of soluble polymeric aromatic compounds.

Olive oil mill wastewater purification by combination of coagulation- flocculation and biological treatments

In order to define an efficient pre-treatment of Olive Oil Mill Wastewater (OOMW) to overcome major obstacles to biological treatment, various organic and mineral coagulants have been tested. In particular, the application of quicklime until a pH around 12 - 12.4 was reached, allowed the reduction of almost 37% of the initial COD, and approximately 88% and 71% of the colour and phenolic content of the waste. Hence, further biological treatments with an adapted aerobic consortium (AC) and a white rot fungus (WRF) strain were improved. The WRF Coriolopsis polyzona was more efficient than AC to reduce colour and polyphenols when the waste was prior diluted or pre-treated; however, it was less effective in COD removal. The combined treatment: lime - AC of OOMW having initial COD of 102 g l(-1) led to the elimination of about 77, 91 and 63%, of the COD, phenols and colour, respectively. Interestingly, the opposite combination AC - lime permitted better COD, phenols and colour reduction to respectively, 21, 11 and 11% of the initial values. This latter condition is technically recommended since only one step separation was needed and no pH correction was necessary before undergoing aerobic treatment. Moreover, the process would produce a sludge potentially rich in organic matter, and consequently, useful as an agricultural amendment or/and as an additive in animal nutrition.