Depuration and valuation of mussel-processing wastes. Characterization of amylolytic postincubates from different species grown on an effluent

Abstract

Mussel-processing wastes, which contain glycogen (~ 10 g/litre) as their main component, can be used as a culture medium for several species of amylolytic yeasts and microfungi useful as single cell protein (SCP) sources. In addition, cell-free media from these cultures (with COD reduced to -~ 10% of its initial vahte) could, in principle, be used for the hydrolysis of greater volumes of the same effluent, which could then be concentrated, converting it into a more versatile microbial substrate. With this objective in mind, the optimal reaction conditions, stability and kinetics of postincubates from several amylolytic species with distinct growth features when cultured on the effluent, were examined. Some of the mechanisms involved in the regulation of amylolytic activity are also discussed, as well as some of the methodological problems often associated with this kind of study.