Microbial activity is the main route for cycling mangrove nutrients. In general, microorganisms have abilities to degrade lignocellulosic compounds. Among the biotechnological potential of the microbiota from mangroves, it is noteworthy about endophytic fungi, which can be considered as effective sources of different bioactive compounds. In this sense, thirty (30) endophytic fungi were isolated from mangrove forest sampling Cananeia, SP, Brazil. These microorganisms were analyzed about their enzymatic activities including: lignin peroxidase EC 1.11.1.14, manganese peroxidase EC 1.11.1.13 and laccase EC 1.10.3.2, as well endo-cellulase EC 3.2.1.4 and endo-xylanase EC 3.2.1.8. Besides that, production of bioactive secondary metabolites like biosurfactant and/or bioemulsifier was also investigated. As results, nineteen (19) isolates were selected about their ligninolytic abilities, nine (9) of them about cellulase activity and thirteen (13) showed xylanase abilities. The fungal isolate named as 3(3), characterized as Fusarium sambucinum, showed a prominent lignin peroxidase (42.4 U L⁻¹) and manganese peroxidase (23.6 U L⁻¹) activities. The isolate 63.1, also related to Fusarium sp. genera, was selected about its laccase activity (41.5 U L⁻¹). From all the investigated fungi, the isolate 47(4) Trichoderma camerunense was selected about its cellulolytic and xylanolytic activities, showing 45.23 and 26.09 U mL⁻¹, respectively. The same fungi also showed biosurfactant ability demonstrated by superficial tension decreasing to 38 mN/m. In addition, fifteen (15) fungi exhibited bioemulsifier activity, with E₂₄ values up to 62.8%.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most significant global health threats of the 21st century, driving the urgent search for alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) have gained attention due to their broad antimicrobial spectrum, cost-effectiveness, and versatile applications in medicine, agriculture, and the food industry. This review provides a systematic overview of the advances in CuNP synthesis, mechanisms of antimicrobial action, biomedical and industrial applications, and associated toxicity issues. A comprehensive literature review was conducted, covering chemical, physical, and biological synthesis strategies; mechanistic studies on microbial inhibition; and experimental reports on biomedical and environmental applications. A comparative analysis revealed opportunities, limitations, and knowledge gaps, with particular emphasis on cytotoxic and ecotoxicological aspects. CuNPs show strong antimicrobial activity against bacteria, fungi, viruses, and multidrug-resistant strains through mechanisms such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, membrane disruption, and DNA/protein interactions. Their use in medical devices, wound dressings, textiles, and packaging materials underlines their application potential. However, cytotoxicity to mammalian cells, ecological risks, and the lack of standardized safety protocols remain critical challenges. Particle size, morphology, and surface chemistry strongly influence both efficacy and toxicity, underlining the importance of controlled synthesis and functionalization. Overall, CuNPs represent a promising strategy to tackle the AMR crisis. Future research should focus on environmentally friendly and surface-modified synthesis approaches, standardized toxicity assessments, and robust regulatory frameworks. By balancing antimicrobial efficacy with biosafety and sustainability, CuNPs could become a transformative platform for clinical, industrial, and environmental applications.

A biobased material, polythymol (PTF), was prepared using thymol, a monoterpene obtained from the essential oil of Thymus vulgaris (Lamiaceae), as a starting material with the aim of enhancing the antimicrobial properties of this natural product. Initially, different processes were performed in order to optimize the reaction conditions to obtain a macromolecule with a high purity and yield. PTF was characterized using different techniques, such as NMR, infrared, UV-Vis, and thermogravimetric analyses. The antimicrobial activity of both PTF and thymol was evaluated against different microorganisms, including S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and C. albicans. The obtained MIC values showed a higher potential for PTF than the monomer thymol—for example, against S. aureus (500 and 31.5 µg·mL⁻¹ for thymol and PTF, respectively). Therefore, the obtained results show that the polymerization of thymol afforded more active biomaterial than the starting monomeric antimicrobial compound (thymol), suggesting that PTF is an important biomaterial.

The bioprospection for cellulase and protease producers is a promise strategy for the discovery of potential biocatalysts for use in hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials as well as proteic residues. These enzymes can increment and turn viable the production of second generation ethanol from different and alternative sources. In this context, the goal of this study was the investigation of cellulolytic and proteolytic abilities of bacteria isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of a hippopotamus as well as from its composting process. It is important to highlight that hippopotamus gastrointestinal samples were a non-typical sources of efficient hydrolytic bacteria with potential for application in biotechnological industries, like biofuel production. Looking for this, a total of 159 bacteria were isolated, which were submitted to qualitative and quantitative enzymatic assays. Proteolytic analyzes were conducted through the evaluation of fluorescent probes. Qualitative assays for cellulolytic abilities revealed 70 positive hits. After quantitative analyzes, 44 % of these positive hits were selected, but five (5) strains showed cellulolytic activity up to 11,8 FPU/mL. Regarding to proteolytic activities, six (6) strains showed activity above 10 %, which overpassed results described in the literature. Molecular analyzes based on the identification of 16S rDNA, revealed that all the selected bacterial isolates were affiliated to Bacillus genus. In summary, these results strongly indicate that the isolated bacteria from a hippopotamus can be a potential source of interesting biocatalysts with cellulolytic and proteolytic activities, with relevance for industrial applications.