title: Biodegradation of naphthalenesulphonate polymers: the potential of a combined application of fungi and bacteria.
abstract: The potential of several fungi and their synergy with bacterial biomasses were evaluated as a solution for the removal of 2-naphthalensulphonic acid polymers (2-NSAPs) from petrochemical wastewater, characterized by a chemical oxygen demand (COD) greater than 9000 mg/L. The ability of fungi to grow on 2-NSAP mixtures was preliminarily investigated using a solid medium, and then the action of the selected strains, both in suspended and immobilized form, was evaluated in terms of degradation, depolymerization, sorption and an increase in biodegradability of 2-NSAP. Among the 25 fungi evaluated two, in particular, Bjerkandera adusta and Pleurotus ostreatus, have been found to significantly depolymerize 2-NSAP yielding to the corresponding monomer (2-naphthalenesulphonic acid, 2-NSA), which has been further degraded by a bacterial consortia selected in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The fungal treatment alone was able to reduce the COD value up to 44%, while activated sludge removed only 9% of the initial COD. In addition, the combined treatment (fungi and bacteria) allowed an increase in the COD removal up to 62%.
authors.affiliation: a Dipartimento di Chimica 'Ugo Schiff' , Università degli Studi Firenze , Via della Lastruccia 3, Sesto Fiorentino 50019 , Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gullotto
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lubello
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mannucci
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gori
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Munz
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Briganti
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005658:Fungi / Q000378:metabolism*; D059013:Microbial Consortia / Q000502:physiology*; D009282:Naphthalenesulfonates / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000382:microbiology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D009282:Naphthalenesulfonates; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: fungi; industrial wastewater treatment; naphthalenesulphonic acid polymers; recalcitrant compounds biodegradation; respirometric tests