Laccase-loaded magnetic dialdehyde inulin nanoparticles as an efficient heterogeneous natural polymer-based biocatalyst for removal and detoxification of ofloxacin

Immobilizing white-rot fungi laccase: Toward bio-derived supports as a circular economy approach in organochlorine removal

Despite their high persistence in the environment, organochlorines (OC) are widely used in the pharmaceutical industry, in plastics, and in the manufacture of pesticides, among other applications. These compounds and the byproducts of their decomposition deserve attention and efficient proposals for their treatment. Among sustainable alternatives, the use of ligninolytic enzymes (LEs) from fungi stands out, as these molecules can catalyze the transformation of a wide range of pollutants. Among LEs, laccases (Lac) are known for their efficiency as biocatalysts in the conversion of organic pollutants. Their application in biotechnological processes is possible, but the enzymes are often unstable and difficult to recover after use, driving up costs. Immobilization of enzymes on a matrix (support or solid carrier) allows recovery and stabilization of this catalytic capacity. Agricultural residual biomass is a passive environmental asset. Although underestimated and still treated as an undesirable component, residual biomass can be used as a low-cost adsorbent and as a support for the immobilization of enzymes. In this review, the adsorption capacity and immobilization of fungal Lac on supports made from residual biomass, including compounds such as biochar, for the removal of OC compounds are analyzed and compared with the use of synthetic supports. A qualitative and quantitative comparison of the reported results was made. In this context, the use of peanut shells is highlighted in view of the increasing peanut production worldwide. The linkage of methods with circular economy approaches that can be applied in practice is discussed.

Insights into Recent Advances of Biomaterials Based on Microbial Biomass and Natural Polymers for Sustainable Removal of Pharmaceuticals Residues

Pharmaceuticals are acknowledged as emerging contaminants in water resources. The concentration of pharmaceutical compounds in the environment has increased due to the rapid development of the pharmaceutical industry, the increasing use of human and veterinary drugs, and the ineffectiveness of conventional technologies to remove pharmaceutical compounds from water. The application of biomaterials derived from renewable resources in emerging pollutant removal techniques constitutes a new research direction in the field. In this context, the article reviews the literature on pharmaceutical removal from water sources using microbial biomass and natural polymers in biosorption or biodegradation processes. Microorganisms, in their active or inactive form, natural polymers and biocomposites based on inorganic materials, as well as microbial biomass immobilized or encapsulated in polymer matrix, were analyzed in this work. The review examines the benefits, limitations, and drawbacks of employing these biomaterials, as well as the prospects for future research and industrial implementation. From these points of view, current trends in the field are clearly reviewed. Finally, this study demonstrated how biocomposites made of natural polymers and microbial biomass suggest a viable adsorbent biomaterial for reducing environmental pollution that is also efficient, inexpensive, and sustainable.

Natural and Natural-Based Polymers: Recent Developments in Management of Emerging Pollutants

Anthropogenic activities lead to the issue of new classes of pollutants in the environment that are not currently monitored in environmental studies. This category of pollutants (known as emerging contaminants) includes a very wide range of target substances, such as pharmaceuticals, plant protection products, personal care products, dyes, toxins, microplastics and many other industrially important intermediaries. Together with an increasing demand for clean water (both for agricultural necessities and for the increasing population consumption), the need for the removal of emerging pollutants, simultaneously with the current "green chemistry" approach, opens the door for the industrial application of natural polymers in the area of environmental protection. Recent developments in this area are presented in this paper, as well as the application of these particular natural materials for the removal of other contaminants of interest (such as radioisotopes and nanoparticles). The current knowledge regarding the processes' kinetics is briefly presented, as well as the future development perspectives in this area.