Utilization of the Fungus Pycnoporus sp. for Remediation of a Sugarcane Industry Effluent

Lignocellulosic fungi are highly versatile organisms with valuable applications in bioremediation processes, including the biodegradation of agro-industrial effluents. In this work, the use of a native strain of the white-rot fungus, Pycnoporus aff. sanguineus, in the bioremediation of the sugar industry waste called vinasse was studied, originating from the San Martín del Tabacal Sugar Mill, located in the north of the Salta province, Argentina. We studied, under controlled laboratory conditions, the bioremediation process of three concentrations of vinasse (5, 10, and 25% in distilled water) with a native isolated strain. The results showed biomass growth at all three tested concentrations, with a maximum at the highest vinasse concentration (25%), while the percentages of color and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal indicated that the most efficient treatment was with 10% vinasse. The results obtained are promising for the treatment of effluents from the sugar industry using white-rot fungi, considering the valuable subproducts of Pycnoporus spp. biomass.