Abstract
Coffee beans processing generates a large volume of wastewater composed of trace elements which can be detrimental to human health. The present study aimed at evaluating the capacity of strains of Aspergillus brasiliensis and Penicillium citrinum in tolerating and removing trace elements namely: Cu, Mn and Zn from coffee wastewater. The use of fungi in the treatment of polluted wastewater has emerged as a viable alternative to conventional treatment. The fungi were isolated from polluted and unpolluted areas, which were tested on a laboratorial scale and on large scale (aerobic bioreactor) with immobilized biomass. As expected, the strains isolated from polluted areas ( P. citrinum EPAMIG 0086 and A. brasiliensis EPAMIG 0084) were more tolerant to the elements studied than the strains isolated from unpolluted areas ( A. brasiliensis IBT 26433 and P. citrinum INCQS 40011). As for the removal tests conducted on a laboratorial scale, it is worth mentioning that the fungal strains under study responded differently to the tested elements (regardless of their origin). In the tests conducted in bioreactors, the fungus P. citrinum EPAMIG 0086 presented a greater removal capacity of the elements in aerobic biofilters (44, 62 and 48% for Cu, Mn and Zn, respectively) than the A. brasiliensis EPAMIG 0084 (21.7, 51 and 41.6%, respectively), which indicates that this fungus is an efficient alternative to conventional treatments. Keywords: Coffee wastewater, bioreactors, fungi, immobilization, removal, trace elements African Journal of Biotechnology, Vol 13(37) 3759-3773
Highlights
Coffee beans processin ng generates s a large vo olume of was stewater com mposed of ttrace elemen nts which can be detrrimental to human h healtth
All tests were performed in triplicate, and all media were prepared with Milli-Q water
The pH obtained from coffee wastewater (CW) in the present study corroborates the results presented by Gonçalves (2006)
Summary
Coffee beans processin ng generates s a large vo olume of was stewater com mposed of ttrace elemen nts which can be detrrimental to human h healtth. The present study aiimed at evalluating the c capacity of s strains of Aspergillus s brasiliensis s and Penicilllium citrinum m in toleratin ng and remo oving trace e elements nam mely: Cu, Mn and Zn n from coffe ee wastewater. The fungi were isolate ed from pollluted and unpolluted areas, which h were tested on a laborratorial scale e and on larg ge scale (aerrobic bioreac ctor) with immobilized d biomass. AMIG 0084) were w more to olerant to th he elements studied than n the strains s isolated from unpolluted areas As for the remo oval tests conducted on a laborattorial scale, it i is worth mentioning m th hat the funga al strains un nder study re esponded differently to t the tested d elements (rregardless of o their origin n). In the tes sts conducte ed in bioreac ctors, the fungus P. citrinum EP. 4 (21.7, 51 biofilters (4 and 41.6%, respectively), which in ndicates thatt this fungu us is an effic cient alterna ative to conventional treatments
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
