title: Integrated biodepuration of pesticide-contaminated wastewaters from the fruit-packaging industry using biobeds: Bioaugmentation, risk assessment and optimized management.
abstract: Wastewaters from fruit-packaging plants contain high loads of toxic and persistent pesticides and should be treated on site. We evaluated the depuration performance of five pilot biobeds against those effluents. In addition we tested bioaugmentation with bacterial inocula as a strategy for optimization of their depuration capacity. Finally we determined the composition and functional dynamics of the microbial community via q-PCR. Practical issues were also addressed including the risk associated with the direct environmental disposal of biobed-treated effluents and decontamination methods for the spent packing material. Biobeds showed high depuration capacity (>99.5%) against all pesticides with bioaugmentation maximizing their depuration performance against the persistent fungicide thiabendazole (TBZ). This was followed by a significant increase in the abundance of bacteria, fungi and of catabolic genes of aromatic compounds catA and pcaH. Bioaugmentation was the most potent decontamination method for spent packing material with composting being an effective alternative. Risk assessment based on practical scenarios (pome and citrus fruit-packaging plants) and the depuration performance of the pilot biobeds showed that discharge of the treated effluents into an 0.1-ha disposal site did not entail an environmental risk, except for TBZ-containing effluents where a larger disposal area (0.2ha) or bioaugmentation alleviated the risk.
authors: University of Thessaly, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Ploutonos 26 and Aiolou, 41221 Larissa, Greece.
authors: Panagiotis A
authors: PA
authors: Karas
authors: University of Thessaly, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Ploutonos 26 and Aiolou, 41221 Larissa, Greece.
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Perruchon
authors: BenakiPhytopathological Institute, Athens, Greece.
authors: Evangelos
authors: E
authors: Karanasios
authors: University of Thessaly, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Ploutonos 26 and Aiolou, 41221 Larissa, Greece.
authors: Evangelia S
authors: ES
authors: Papadopoulou
authors: University of Thessaly, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Ploutonos 26 and Aiolou, 41221 Larissa, Greece.
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Manthou
authors: University of Thessaly, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Ploutonos 26 and Aiolou, 41221 Larissa, Greece.
authors: Stefania
authors: S
authors: Sitra
authors: Agricultural University of Athens, Department of Natural Resources and Agricultural Engineering, Laboratory of Soils and Agricultural Chemistry, 75 IeraOdos Str., 11855 Athens, Greece.
authors: Constantinos
authors: C
authors: Ehaliotis
authors: University of Thessaly, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Ploutonos 26 and Aiolou, 41221 Larissa, Greece. Electronic address: dkarpouzas@bio.uth.gr.
authors: Dimitrios G
authors: DG
authors: Karpouzas
mesh_terms: D019149:Bioreactors; D018857:Food Packaging; D007220:Industrial Waste; D059013:Microbial Consortia; D010865:Pilot Projects; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste
keywords: Bioaugmentation; Biobeds; Fruit-packaging plants; Pesticide-contaminated wastewaters; Thiabendazole