ENHANCING THE TANNINS BIODEGRADATION WITH ASPERGILLUS TUBINGENSIS AND CHAETOMIUM SP.: COSUBSTRATES BATCH TESTS

Tannins are a class a polyphenolic compounds and they can be subdivided into natural and synthetic tannins. The ones used in tanning processes have an elevated molecular weight and represent a serious concern in tannery wastewater treatment plants for their low biodegradability and the inhibiting effect on the activated sludge processes. The biodegradation of natural tannins in the environment is associated with fungi rather than bacteria and in recent years fungi has been regarded with increasing interest for their potential of removing hazardous, recalcitrant and toxic pollutants. Fungi, in collaboration with bacteria, could be an important component of new wastewater biotechnologies designed to biodegrade recalcitrant compounds like tannins. In this context were performed preliminary tests to evaluate the efficiency of selected fungal strain and the effect of co-substrates for future applications in novel reactor for tannery wastewater treatment.