Nine fungal strains isolated from an aged and heavily contaminated soil were identified and screened to assess their degradative potential. Among them, Allescheriella sp. strain DABAC 1, Stachybotrys sp. strain DABAC 3, and Phlebia sp. strain DABAC 9 were selected for remediation trials on the basis of Poly R-478 decolorization associated with lignin-modifying enzyme (LME) production. These autochthonous fungi were tested for the abilities to grow under nonsterile conditions and to degrade various aromatic hydrocarbons in the same contaminated soil. After 30 days, fungal colonization was clearly visible and was confirmed by ergosterol determination. In spite of subalkaline pH conditions and the presence of heavy metals, the autochthonous fungi produced laccase and Mn and lignin peroxidases. No LME activities were detected in control microcosms. All of the isolates led to a marked removal of naphthalene, dichloroaniline isomers, o -hydroxybiphenyl, and 1,1′-binaphthalene. Stachybotrys sp. strain DABAC 3 was the most effective isolate due to its ability to partially deplete the predominant contaminants 9,10-anthracenedione and 7H-benz[DE]anthracen-7-one. A release of chloride ions was observed in soil treated with either Allescheriella sp. strain DABAC 1 or Stachybotrys sp. strain DABAC 3, suggesting the occurrence of oxidative dehalogenation. The autochthonous fungi led to a significant decrease in soil toxicity, as assessed by both the Lepidium sativum L. germination test and the Collembola mortality test.

High recalcitrant characteristics and low bioavailability rates due to aging processes can hinder high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HMW-PAHs) bioremediation in real industrial polluted soils. With the aim of reducing the residual fraction of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and (HMW-PAHs) in creosote-contaminated soil remaining after a 180-d treatment in a pilot-scale biopile, either biostimulation (BS) of indigenous microbial populations with a lignocellulosic substrate (LS) or fungal bioaugmentation with two strains of white-rot fungi (WRF) (i.e., Trametes versicolor and Lentinus tigrinus) were comparatively tested. The impact of bivalent manganese ions and two mobilizing agents (MAs) (i.e., Soybean Oil and Brij 30) on the degradation performances of biostimulated and bioaugmented microcosms was also compared. The results reveal soil colonization by both WRF strains was clearly hampered by an active native soil microbiota. In fact, a proper enhancement of native microbiota by means of LS amendment promoted the highest biodegradation of HMW-PAHs, even of those with five aromatic rings after 60 days of treatment, but HMW-PAH-degrading bacteria were specifically inhibited when non-ionic surfactant Brij 30 was amended. Effects of bioaugmentation and other additives such as non-ionic surfactants on the degrading capability of autochthonous soil microbiota should be evaluated in polluted soils before scaling up the remediation process at field scale.

Conventionally, the commercial supply of chitin and chitosan relies on shellfish wastes as the extraction sources. However, the fungal sources constitute a valuable option, especially for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications, due to the batch-to-batch unsteady properties of chitin and chitosan from conventional ones. Fungal production of these glycans is not affected by seasonality enables accurate process control and, consequently, more uniform properties of the obtained product. Moreover, liquid and solid production media often are derived from wastes, thus enabling the application of circular economy criteria and improving the process economics. The present review deals with fungal chitosan production processes focusing on waste-oriented and integrated production processes. In doing so, contrary to other reviews that used a genus-specific approach for organizing the available information, the present one bases the discussion on the bioprocess typology. Finally, the main process parameters affecting chitosan production and their interactions are critically discussed.