The Potential Application of Selected Fungi Strains in Removal of Commercial Detergents and Biotechnology

The consumption of synthetic detergents is increasing year by year due to increasing urbanization, which reflects on higher concentration of this pollutant in the environment. In order to purify wastewaters from different pollutants, the application of new technologies such as bioremediation is necessary. From the environmental point of view, it is important to identify microorganisms that are tolerant to the presence of this pollutant. This chapter presents the experimental evaluation of ability of several fungal species, isolated from municipal sewage and industrial wastewater, in removing a high detergent concentration (anionic surfactants) from the environment as well as their potential application in biotechnology. The selected fungi were cultivated in Czapek-Dox liquid medium supplemented with commercial detergent “Merix” (Henkel, Kruševac, Serbia). Changes of physicochemical and biochemical parameters such as pH, redox potential, dry weight biomass, and enzymes activities such as alkaline protease and phosphatase were evaluated during 16 days of cultivation. The obtained results could be useful in the implementation of tested fungi in bioremediation processes and in biotechnology

Naftni zagađivači u aluvijalnim sedimentima - uticaj intenziteta kontakta sa podzemnim vodama na dejstvo mikroorganizama

The influence of the intensity of interaction between oil pollutants and ground waters in alluvial sediments on the effect of microbial activity was investigated in this work. The study was based on a comparison of detailed analyses of two fractions of an oil pollutant originating from a Danube alluvial formation near the Pancevo Oil Refinery: fraction 1. separated from the aqueous layer by decantation. presumed to have been in less intensive interaction with water. and fraction 2. isolated from the aqueous emulsion by extraction with chloroform. presumed to have been in stronger interaction with water, Both fractions were shown to originate from the same type of oil pollutant. Nevertheless. significant compositional differences between the two fractions were observed. A significantly pronounced domination of even carbon number homologues of C-18-C-24 n-alkanes in fraction 2. atypical for crude oil pollutants, compared to the corresponding distribution observed in fraction 1, suggested a more intense activity. i.e., a much better effect of microorganisms in direct contact with the oil pollutant within the aqueous environment. The identification of even carbon number C-14-C-18 n-alcohols and C-14-C-18 fatty acids, as well as cholesterol, in fraction 2, suggested that microorganisms of the algal type in non-photosynthetic conditions were most probably responsible for the mentioned microbial processes.Procenjivan je uticaj intenziteta interakcije između naftnog zagađivača i podzemne vode aluvijalne formacije na intenzitet mikrobiološkog dejstva. U tom cilju poređani su sastavi dve frakcije naftnog zagađivača iz jednog pijezometra (krug Rafinerije nafte Pančevo, aluvijalna formacija reke Dunav): frakcije 1, odvojene od vode dekantovanjem (slabija interakcija sa vodom) i frakcije 2, izdvojene iz vode ekstrakcijom (jača interakcija sa vodom). Dokazano je da obe frakcije vode poreklo od istog naftnog zagađivača. Znatno veća obilnost normalnih alkana sa izrazitom dominacijom parnih homologa (C18–C24) u frakciji 2 nego u frakciji 1 ukazuje na intenzivniju aktivnost mikroorganizama u vodenoj sredini. Alkoholi normalnog niza sa parnim brojem ugljenikovih atoma (C14–C20), holesterol i masne kiseline normalnog niza sa parnim brojem ugljenikovih atoma (C14–C18) u frakciji 2 dokaz su da su za mikrobilošku aktivnost u nefotosintetičkim uslovima odgovorni mikroorganizmi algalnog tipa

Produkcija biotehnološki korisnih metabolita gljivom mucor racemosus u tečnoj czapek-dox podlozi sa dodatkom sintetičkog deterdženta

The capacity of native isolate Mucor racemosus to produce several potentially useful metabolites in a liquid Czapek-Dox medium supplemented with powder anionic-type detergent MERIX (Henkel, Serbia) at concentrations of 0.3% (D3) and 0.5% (D5) was examined in this study. The changes of pH values, the total protein content, activities of acid and alkaline invertase, α-amylase, as well as biomass dry weight were evaluated during fungal growth from inoculation until the 16 th day. In addition, the qualitative and quantitative amino acids content of 16 days old fermentation broth was determined by HPLC. D3 considerably enhanced the biomass dry weight (43%), α-amylase activity (49.59%) and the quantity of arginine (40.38%), and also influenced the production of a high amount of proteins (5.32 g/L). D5 significantly enhanced the biomass dry weight (53%), the quantity of arginine (119.09%) and alanine (192.79%) and induced the production of valine, serine and glutamate. In the D5 medium, α-amylase retained 100% of its activity. The acid and alkaline invertase activity was moderately inhibited by D3 and D5. The obtained results may have considerable biotechnological, industrial and environmental potential

Gas Chromatography in Environmental Sciences and Evaluation of Bioremediation

Crude oil and its derivatives, as the key energy-generating substances and raw materials used for production, are very widely used in all domains of work and everyday life. With the advent of oil as a fuel, there was the most intense economic growth and it can be said that the entire modern civilization is based on the utilization of oil. However, rapid growth and development of civilization in the past two centuries with the mass use of fossil fuels has led to imbalances and distortions of natural processes. In spite of improvements in technology and equipment used for oil drilling, transport and processing by the petroleum industry, oil and oil derivatives represent a significant source of environmental contamination

Phytochemical, Free Radical Scavenging and Antifungal Profile of Cuscuta campestris Yunck. Seeds

This work was conceptualized with the goal to investigate the phytochemical, free radical scavenging and antifungal profile of Cuscuta campestrisYunck. seeds. Total phenolics, amino acid and carbohydrate contents were evaluated in ethanolic, acetone and chloroform extract. Effective antioxidant activity was evaluated throughout seven antioxidant methods. The antifungal activity was assessed against eight fungal strains and Candida albicans. The results showed total phenol, flavonoid, flavonols and phenolic acids contents in amount of 1.51-6.35mg GAE/mL, 78-425g RU/mL, 1.04-2.98mg QU/g and 12.01-30.58g CAE/mL, respectively. The total amino acids and carbohydrates content ranged from 8.29 to 185.45g Gly/mL and from 0.05 to 0.12g Glu/mL. The ethanolic extract showed the best antioxidant activity in phosphomolybdenum, DPPH free radical scavenging, ferric reducing power and lipid peroxidation assays. The best activity in ferrous ion chelating and H2O2 assays had the acetone extract, whereas the best hydroxyl radical scavenging activity was observed with the chloroform extract. The ethanolic extract at a concentration of 6mg/mL proved to be the most effective antimycotic, since it inhibited the growth of all tested fungi except Penicillium verrucosum. The obtained results indicate that C.campestris seeds could be attributed to a potential source of natural antioxidants in food and pharmaceutical products.This is the peer-reviewed version of the article: Jakovljević, V. D.; Vrvić, M. M.; Vrbničanin, S.; Sarić-Krsmanović, M. Phytochemical, Free Radical Scavenging and Antifungal Profile of Cuscuta Campestris Yunck. Seeds. Chemistry & Biodiversity 2018, 15 (8). [https://doi.org/10.1002/cbdv.201800174]

Removal of organically bound sulfur from oil shale by iron(III)-ion generated-regenerated from pyrite by the action of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

Oil shales are one of the alternative sources of hydrocarbon fuels ("synthetic petroleum"), characterized by the increased sulfur and nitrogen content which represent even greater ecological problem in use, compared to classical fuels. Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is capable of oxidizing pyrite to iron (III)-ion, providing a strong oxidation agent at low pH. We have used this oxidizing agent for oxidation of sulfur present in DBT as a substrate model to demonstrate its potential to oxidize organically bound sulfur in oil shales. An HCl-concentrate was used as the hydrocarbon matrix. Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is already recognized to oxidize the pyritic sulfur component, thereby potentially providing a complete sulfur removal system. By applying GC-MS we established that DBT transformation occurred by oxidation or elimination of sulfur. The products obtained are more soluble in water than parent compounds and this reduces concentration of organic sulfur.BIOHYDROMETALLURY: FROM THE SINGLE CELL TO THE ENVIRONMEN

Ageing-induced changes of reduced and oxidized glutathione in fragments of maize seedlings

A trial with four maize inbred lines with the ability to have different durations of seed germination in the course of the accelerated ageing (AA) treatment was set up. Changes of the content of total, reduced and oxidized glutathione (expressed as monomers) were observed in the seeds and seedlings before and after the treatment. For the first time, changes of glutathione in whole seedlings, as well as in the rest of the seed, were analyzed. It was noticed that maize in breds with a smaller decrease of the total glutathione but with an increase of the oxidized form had the ability of prolonged germination. In the control seed- lings, the amount of total glutathione was lower than in the treated ones. Maize seeds which lost germination faster had greater losses of total glutathione with an increased content of the oxidized form in seedlings. The ability of prolonged germination together with the possibility of glutathione synthesis in seedlings are genotypic traits.Postavljen je ogled sa četiri linije kukuruza različite dužine očuvanja klijavosti semena tokom tretmana ubrznog starenja. Ispitivane su promene ukupnog, kao i redukovanog i oksidovanog glutationa (izraženi kao monomeri) u semenu i klijancima pre i nakon ubrzanog starenja. U istraživanjima su prvi put analizirane promene glutationa u celim klijancima, kao i ostatku semena. U semenu linija kukuruza koje imaju sposobnost dužeg očuvanja klijavosti bio je manji gubitak ukupnog glutationa, uz povećanje udela oksidovanog oblika. Kod njihovih klijanaca došlo je do povećanja sadržaja ukupnog glutationa u odnosu na kontrolne klijance. Seme kukuruza koje brže gubi klijavost imalo je veće gubitke ukupnog glutationa, uz veći sadržaj oksidovanog oblika kod formiranih klijanaca. Dužina očuvanja klijavosti, kao i sinteza glutationa kod klijanaca je genotipska osobina.nul

Characterisation of New Bacillus circulans Strain Isolated from Oil Shale

Novi soj vrste Bacillus otkriven je tijekom demineralizacije uljnoga škriljevca radi dobivanja kerogena. Učinak demineralizacije izoliranoga soja bio je kudikamo veći od učinka soja Bacillus circulans Jordan 1890. Prema biokemijskim značajkama, sastavu i strukturi proteina, sastavu masnih kiselina, kao i profilu genoma te sekvencija 16S rDNA novi je soj identificiran kao Bacillus circulans VD01.A new strain of Bacillus sp. was obtained during experiments of oil shale demineralization, which were carried out in order to get ’pure’ organic matter (kerogen). The demineralization efficiency of newly isolated strain was found to be substantially higher in comparison with that of Bacillus circulans Jordan 1890. On the basis of the biochemical characteristics, protein patterns and fatty acid composition, as well as the whole genome profile and 16S rDNA sequencing, the new strain was identified as Bacillus circulans VD01

Ispitivanje dejstva persirćetne kiseline na lipidnu komponentu bakterijskih spora i doprinos standardizaciji testa za ocenu efikasnosti

The aim of this research was to contribute to a more detailed insight in the action of peroxygen disinfectants based on peroxoacetic acid (PAA), on lipid components of sporogenic forms of microorganisms. Sporogenic forms are recognized to be significantly more resistant in comparison to vegetative forms. Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778 and Bacillus subtilis NCTC 10480 where chosen as referent bacterial sporogenic strains used to investigate the acting mechanism of PAA. After treatment of the above mentioned bacterial strains with PAA, fatty acids have been isolated from untreated and treated spores and consequent changes in the lipid component were analyzed. The obtained methyl-esters of fatty acids (MEFA) were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), using a standard of bacterial MEFA. Results confirmed that after treatment, in Bacillus cereus certain quantitative changes occurred, which included the decrease in quantity of fatty acids with 16 and 17 carbon atoms, i.e. 16:0, 16:1, /so 17:0 and anteiso 17:0. At the same time, in B. Subtilis the significant decrease in quantity of fatty acids with 15 and 17 carbon atoms occurred, i.e. anteiso 15:0 and anteiso 17:0.Cilj ovog istraživanja je bio da se stekne potpuniji uvid u dejstvo peroksigenih dezinfektanata na bazi peroksosircetne kiseline (u daljem tekstu: PSK) na lipidnu komponentu sporogenih formi mikroorganizama, za koje je poznato da pokazuju veću otpornost od vegetativnih oblika. Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778 i Bacillus subtilis NCTC 10480 su odabrani kao referentni sojevi - bioindikatori, na kojima je ispitivano delovanje PSK (nakon formiranja spora). Nakon tretmana spora pomenutih bakterijskih sojeva sa PSK, izolovane su masne kiseline iz netretiranih i tretiranih spora i analizirane su promene u lipidnoj komponenti. Dobijeni metil-estri masnih kiselina (MEMK) analizirani su pomoću gasne hromatografije i masene spektrometrije (GC/MS) uz poređenje sa standardom bakterijskih MEMK. Dobijeni rezultati su ukazali da je kod B. cereus ATCC 11778 nakon tretmana došlo do kvantitativne promene odnosno smanjenja količine masnih kiselina sa 16 i 17 Catoma, odnosno 16:0,16:1, ante/so 17:0,/so 17:0. Kod B. subtilis NCTC 10480 došlo je do značajnog smanjenja količine masnih kiselina sa 15 i 17 C atoma, odnosno anteiso 15:0 i anteiso 17:0