Biodegradation of creosote-treated wood by two novel constructed microbial consortia for the enhancement of methane production

Sameh Samir Ali; Ahmed M Mustafa; Michael Kornaros; Jianzhong Sun; Maha Khalil; Mohamed El-Shetehy

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124544

Biodegradation of creosote-treated wood by two novel constructed microbial consortia for the enhancement of methane production

Bioresour Technol. 2021 Mar:323:124544. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124544. Epub 2020 Dec 15.

Authors

Sameh Samir Ali¹, Ahmed M Mustafa², Michael Kornaros³, Jianzhong Sun⁴, Maha Khalil⁵, Mohamed El-Shetehy⁶

Affiliations

¹ Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt.
² State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resourses Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 20092, China; Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt.
³ Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering & Environmental Technology (LBEET), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, 1 Karatheodori Str., University Campus, 26504 Patras, Greece; INVALOR: Research Infrastructure for Waste Valorization and Sustainable Management, University Campus, 26504 Patras, Greece.
⁴ Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China. Electronic address: jzsun1002@ujs.edu.cn.
⁵ Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt; Department of Biology, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt; Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland.

PMID: 33360721
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124544

Abstract

Lignocellulose biodegradation is limited because of its recalcitrant structure particularly when polluted by toxic and carcinogenic compounds such as creosote oil (CRO). As far as we know, this might be the first report that explores the biodegradation of creosote treated wood (CTW) to serve biomethane production. Two novel CTW-degrading microbial consortia, designated as CTW-1 and CTW-2, were screened and constructed to enhance methane production from CRO-treated pine sawdust. After 12 days of biological pretreatment by CTW-1 and CTW-2, a significant reduction in lignocellulosic content of CTW was recorded; estimated as 49 and 43%, respectively. More than 64 and 91% of cumulative biogas and methane yields were obtained from biodegraded CTW over control. Ecotoxicity of treated and untreated CTW was compared by Microtox test. The biodegraded CTW hydrolysates showed a toxicity decrease of more than 80%, suggesting the promising role of constructed microbial consortia for biofuel production and bioremediation.

Keywords: Anaerobic digestion; Biodegradation; Ecotoxicity; Microbial consortium; Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); Wood waste.

MeSH terms

Biodegradation, Environmental
Creosote*
Methane
Microbial Consortia
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons*
Wood

Substances

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Creosote
Methane