Selective enrichment of hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria producing storage compounds of biotechnological relevance

Abstract

Hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria are important players in bioremediation of hydrocarbon contaminated ecosystems with additional potential for application in biological treatment of industrial wastewaters. Synthesis and accumulation of storage lipids such as triacylglycerols (TAGs) and wax esters (WEs), as well as polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) polymers, has been reported in this group of bacteria when submitted to growth ‐ limiting conditions (e.g. nitrogen limitation). These compounds are relevant raw materials for a variety of industrial applications in biofuels and oleochemicals production. Its biosynthesis in combination with industrial wastewater treatment can contribute to make the process more economic and environmentally sustainable. The aim of this work was to obtain suitable inocula for use in biotechnological processes to produce valuable bacterial products from hydrocarbon ‐ based wastewaters. These carbon ‐ rich nutrient ‐ poor wastewaters exhibited appropriated conditions to promote bacterial storage materials production, thus being an interesting application target for the proposed combined approach. (...)