Combining high-value biotechnological processes: from wastewaters bioremediation to bacterial bioenergy feedstock production

Book of Abstracts of CEB Annual Meeting 2017[Excerpt] The significant increase of global industrialization has been promoting the generation of large amounts of residues and wastewaters. In particular, oily wastewaters (contaminated with hydrocarbons) must be considered, since their disposal into the surrounding environments can represent a serious threat to several types of environmental resources. Simultaneously, the drastic depletion of fossil fuel resources demands for search of alternative feedstocks with environmental and economic advantages. Therefore, the production of bacterial lipids using inexpensive substrates, as wastes, has attracted much attention. Hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria are important players in bioremediation of hydrocarbon contaminated wastewaters with additional capacity for the accumulation of storage lipids such as triacylglycerols and wax esters [1, 2]. These compounds are relevant raw materials for biofuels and oleochemicals production. [...]