Laccases are multicopper proteins that use molecular oxygen to oxidize a broad spectrum of organic compounds by a radical-catalyzed reaction mechanism. Many articles over the past 15 years have touted the diverse potential applications of laccase in various biotechnological processes. This review covers the natural roles of the enzyme, its structural properties, substrates, reaction mechanism, and inhibitors, as well as its applications regarding the detoxification and bioremediation of polluted wastewaters and soils. Other applications are briefly covered as well. The authors critically assess the advantages, shortcomings, and future needs relating to laccase availability, effectiveness, and cost-efficiency, and also provide numerous references to the many divisions of research into this multifaceted enzyme.

Laccase:A review of its past and its future in bioremediation

Bioremediation of olive mill wastewater

Fungal biomasses are capable of treating metal-contaminated effluents with efficiencies several orders of magnitude superior to activated carbon (F-400) or the industrial resin Dowex-50. Additionally, fungal biomasses are susceptible to engineering improvements and regeneration of their capabilities. With regard to organic pollutants, excessive nutrients and dyes, fungi can remove them from wastewaters, leading to a decrease in their toxicities. However, the detoxification rates seem to be dependent on media and culture conditions. The postreatement by anaerobic bioprocesses of effluents that have been pretreated with fungi can lead to higher biogas than the original effluents. In addition to the degradation of organic pollutants, fungi produce added-value products such as enzymes (LiP, MnP, Lacc, amylase, etc.) and single-cell protein (SCP). Most research on fungal capacities to purify polluted effluents has been performed on a laboratory scale, hence there is a need to extend such research to pilot scale and to apply it to industrial processes.

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Utilization of fungi for biotreatment of raw wastewaters

Antimicrobial activity of olive mill wastewaters (alpechin) and biotransformed olive oil mill wastewater

The effect of olive oil mill wastewater (OMW) on soil microbial communities and suppressiveness against Rhizoctonia solani

A kinetic study was carried out on the anaerobic digestion of olive-mill wastewater (OMW) and OMW that was previously fermented with Aspergillus terreus. The bioreactors used were batch fed and contained saponite as support for the mediating bacteria. The anaerobic digestion process followed first-order kinetics, from which the kinetic constant A was calculated using a non-linear regression. This kinetic parameter was influenced by the pretreatment carried out, and was 3.7 times higher for pretreated OMW than for untreated OMW. The anaerobic processing of pretreated OMW seemingly involved no inhibition phenomena as the biotoxicity and the total phenolic compound content (analysed by HPLC) were reduced by 71.2% and 77.9% respectively as a result of the pretreatment. Finally, the yield coefficient of methane production was 0.345 litres of methane (at standard temperature and pressure)/g of chemical oxygen demand, that is, 23% higher than that provided by untreated wastewater.

Martínez L

Papers

Effect of aerobic pretreatment with Aspergillus terreus on the anaerobic digestion of olive-mill wastewater.