MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF AERIAL HYPHAE AND SIMULATION GROWTH OF Fusarium solani UNDER DIFFERENT CARBON SOURCE FOR APPLICATION IN THE HYDROPHOBIC VOCs BIOFILTRATION

This work presents the effect of different carbon sources (glycerol, 1-hexanol and n-hexane) over the morphology of the aerial hyphae of the filamentous fungus Fusarium solani for its application in the biofiltration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). A mathematical model was developed and further verified that combines microscopic and macroscopic parameters describing the mycelial fungal growth. Image analysis of microcultures and culture in agar dishes was performed to determine the morphological parameters. The results show that the hydrophobic and volatile carbon sources modified the morphology of Fusarium solani, this is associated with the better utilization of the volatile carbon source. The main morphology changes observed with glycerol and n-hexane, were the reduction in both the hyphal diameter (from 2.99 +/- 0.29 mu m to 2.01 +/- 0.35 mu m) and the average hyphal length (from 603.8 +/- 48.3 mu m to 280.1 +/- 36.6 mu m). These results indicate an increase in the transport area for the same amount of biomass as an adaptation response to increase the uptake of volatile hydrophobic substrates

TREATMENT OF PULP MILL WASTEWATERS WITH Fusarium solani IN A ROTATING BIOLOGICAL CONTACTOR

This study assesses the feasibility of using the filamentous fungus Fusarium solani for the removal of colour, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total phenols from a pulp mill industry effluent, inoculated in a rotating biological contactor (RBC). The study was done in a RBC of total volume 7.2 L, operated with 40% of useful volume at 37(+/- 2)degrees C, inflow 3.5 L d(-1), hydraulic residence time (HRT) 20 h and rotation speed 2 rpm. A Haldane model was used to determine the kinetic parameters of F. solani with a model effluent. The results show maximum elimination capacities and removal efficiencies for COD and phenols of 2921 mg m(-2) d(-1) (84%) and 72 mg m(-2) d(-1) (83%), respectively. Colour removal efficiencies of 60% (equivalent to 32 colour units, CU) were also obtained. The kinetic results show COD inhibition at concentrations above 110 mg L-1

Effects of Temperature on Steam Explosion Pretreatment of Poplar Hybrids with Different Lignin Contents in Bioethanol Production

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of the lignin content in four hybrid poplars for enhancing ethanol production. The study was conducted using steam explosion at 200 and 220 degrees C for 5 min as a pre-treatment and then a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) process with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The composition of raw material, liquid, and solid fraction obtained after pretreatment, enzymatic digestion, and ethanol production under the different experimental conditions was analyzed. The best results for bioethanol production were obtained from steam explosion pre-treatment carried out at 220 degrees C with the hybrid poplar H-29, with cellulose recovery of over 63%, enzymatic hydrolysis yield of approximately 67%, and SSF yield of 70% of the theoretical value. However, the highest enzymatic hydrolysis yield (79%) was obtained for the hybrid poplar H-34, which has the lowest lignin content