Azo dyes are widely used in the textile industry due to their stability and resistance. These properties also make them recalcitrant xenobiotics, toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic, even at low concentrations. Considered emerging pollutants, there is an urgency to address mechanisms capable of remediating these contaminants, with Aspergillus fungi standing out as an effective solution. Fifteen strains of Aspergillus were investigated for the decolorization of the tetra azo dye Direct Black 22. The influence of different culture media was evaluated on fungi biomass production, dye concentrations (50–300 mg/L), biomass concentrations (1–5g), and the reuse of biomass in continuous batches. The strains that stood out the most were Aspergillus japonicus URM 5620, Aspergillus niger URM 5741, and A. niger URM 5838. Obtaining biomass in less nutrient-rich medium favored decolorization by forming more organized pellets. The live biomass of these fungi was 59% more efficient than the dead biomass. The decolorization efficiency was not affected at lower dye concentrations, showing a decrease in decolorization only when the concentration reached 300 mg/L. Increasing the amount of biomass resulted in proportionally greater decolorization. Even with just 1 g of biomass, the three fungi could remove more than 90% of the dye in less than 60 minutes, and with 5 g, the dye was completely removed in 10 minutes. Thebiomass was reused in three consecutive decolorization cycles, and the fungus that best withstood the cycles was A. niger URM 5741. These results demonstrate the potential of the genus Aspergillus fungi tested in this study as sustainable and efficient biosorbents for the remediation of azo dyes such as Direct Black 22, with potential for colored industrial effluent treatment.

Collagenases are enzymes with broad biotechnological applications in medicine. This study describes the production and characterization of a collagenase from Aspergillus serratalhadensis URM 7866, isolated from the Caatinga biome. Solid-state fermentations were conducted using wheat bran under varying conditions of pH (6, 7, 8), moisture content (50%, 60%, 70%), and substrate concentration (2.5 g, 5 g, 10 g). The optimal condition—10 g of wheat bran at pH 8 and 70% moisture—yielded the highest collagenolytic activity (177.96 U/mL) and a specific activity of 50.55 U/mg. The enzyme was purified via multiple chromatography, with pre-purification and final purification factors of 18.09 and 20.21, respectively, reaching a specific activity of 1021.86 U/mg. The enzyme showed optimal activity at 50 °C and pH 8, with stability from 20 to 40 °C and pH 7–9. PMSF caused >80% inhibition; EDTA caused ~34% inhibition. Activity increased with Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ and was inhibited by Zn²⁺. The enzyme retained full activity in anionic and non-ionic surfactants (1–10%). FTIR confirmed characteristic amide bands, and kinetic analysis revealed a Km of 1.72 mg/mL and Vmax of 6.89 mg/mL/min. These findings support its potential for alkaline and surfactant-rich industrial processes.

Descoloração de efluente de uma lavanderia de beneficiamento têxtil localizada em Toritama/PE por fungo filamentoso/ Effluent decoloration of a textile benefiting laundry located in Toritama / PE by filament fungus

O gênero Trichoderma é amplamente reconhecido por seu potencial biotecnológico, des-tacando-se na produção de enzimas e na promoção do controle biológico, o que o torna um recurso valioso para processos industriais sustentáveis. Este estudo investigou a pro-dução de proteases colagenolíticas pelo Trichoderma koningiopsis (UFPIT03) cultivado em fermentação em estado sólido (FES) utilizando farelo de frutos de Pritchardia paci-fica como substrato. O principal objetivo foi explorar o potencial desses resíduos agroin-dustriais para a obtenção de enzimas com aplicação industrial. As proteases foram extra-ídas e submetidas a um esquema de purificação que incluiu precipitação com acetona, fracionamento com sulfato de amônio e cromatografia de troca iônica. Os resultados obtidos apresentaram uma eficiência na purificação de uma enzima com atividade prote-olítica exibindo atividade ótima em pH 8,0 e estabilidade térmica, mantendo mais de 70% da atividade após 6 horas de incubação em temperaturas entre 20°C e 50°C. Adici-onalmente, a caracterização físico-química indicou que a enzima na presença de íons AlCl3 e ZnSO4 teve sua atividade reduzida em mais de 50% e estabilidade na presença de surfactantes. A cromatografia em Gel filtração em Superdex-G75 revelou a massa molecular da enzimas em torno de 65kDa. Os resultados demonstram a viabilidade do T. koningiopsis como recurso biotecnológico para a obtenção de enzimas de alto valor agregado, promovendo processos sustentáveis que aproveitam resíduos agroindustriais.

Textile dyes are considered emerging pollutants due to their recalcitrant and xenobiotic nature, making them toxic and mutagenic, leading to various environmental impacts. Aspergillus fungi, known for their metabolic diversity and high environmental adaptability, emerge as an alternative for remediating these contaminants. The evolution and trends in research on the application of Aspergillus in the bioremediation of textile dyes were assessed through a scientometric analysis of articles indexed in Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus, using the Bibliometrix tool. A total of 283 documents were identified over 28 years since the first publication, indicating that although the topic is established, research output remains limited. Publications originated from 43 countries, with India as the leading contributor; however, the low rate of international collaboration (12.37%) highlights the need for stronger global partnerships. Research primarily focused on dye decolorization via biosorption and biodegradation, with Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus as the most frequently studied species. Recent trends emphasize lignolytic enzymes, especially laccase, and integrative approaches combining biological and physicochemical processes. The results also reveal the urgent need for comprehensive toxicological assessments beyond phytotoxicity, considering increasing concerns about textile effluent impacts on ecosystems and human health.

Anais do Congresso Internacional em Saúde e Desenvolvimento Socioambiental (978-65-272-0801-3) - Potencial Do Fungo Aspergillus Ochraceus Urm604 Para Produção De Enzimas De Interesse Farmacêutico