Polyphenols conversion by means of white-rot fungi in internal loop airlift bioreactors

Results of a research program on bioremediation of olive-mill wastewater (OMW) are presented. Bioremediation tests were carried out both in a bench-scale bioreactor and in aerated flasks. Non-immobilized microorganisms, namely Pleurotus ostreatus or Phanerochaete chrysosporium, were used as biocatalyst. The performance of the bench-scale bioreactor operated under fed-batch conditions has been assessed and proved to be satisfactory. Experiments in the bioreactor are complemented by tests carried out batch-wise in aerated flasks under controlled non-sterile operating conditions.