Oil spills in aquatic ecosystems cause irreparable damage to marine life and the coastal populations of affected areas. In recent years, chemical dispersants have been extensively used to remedy these impacted ecosystems, although these agents have been increasingly restricted due to their toxic potential. In this context, biosurfactants are emerging as a promising alternative to chemical dispersants, which have some advantages including low toxicity, high biodegradability and good ecological acceptability. Thus, this study aimed to the production of biosurfactant by the bacteria Serratia marcescens UCP 1549 for application as biodispersant. The experiment was carried out using wheat bran as substrate in solid-state fermentation (SSF) as low-cost technology. Biosurfactant production was verified by the reduction of surface tension (28.4 mN/m) and interfacial tension (4.1 mN/m) with n-hexadecane. Also, promising result of emulsification (94%) with burned motor oil was obtained. Acid precipitation yielded 52.0 g/kg dry substrate of biosurfactant, that was identified as an anionic compound of a lipopeptide nature by the Zeta potential and FTIR spectrum, respectively. The biomolecule showed stability under extreme conditions of temperature, pH and salinity, as well as low toxicity against the microcrustacean Artemia salina. In addition, the biosurfactant demonstrated excellent properties to dispersing burned motor oil in water (ODA = 50.24 cm²) and to washing of marine stones (100% removal of burned motor oil). Therefore, these results confirm SSF as a sustainable technology for the production of biodispersant by S. marcescens UCP 1549, promising in the bioremediation of marine ecosystems impacted by petroderivatives. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

This study investigated the efficacy of an innovative edible coating, composed of fungal chitosan and alginate, functionalized with Lacticaseibacillus casei LC03, in both free and microencapsulated forms, to extend the shelf life and enhance the nutritional value of strawberries. L. casei LC03 cells were successfully encapsulated in alginate microparticles (MAL) and further coated with chitosan (MALC), resulting in enhanced protection (cell reduction below 1.4 CFU/mL), viability (8.02 log CFU/mL), and encapsulation efficiencies exceeding 90%. The edible coating with L. casei microencapsulated in alginate and coated with fungal chitosan (CACLM) significantly improved strawberry preservation by maintaining pH (3.16 ± 0.41), titratable acidity (0.94 ± 0.20), moisture (90.74 ± 0.27), and microbial quality, and delayed the decrease in total phenolic compounds (below 40%) during the storage time of strawberries. While coatings with free L. casei (CALF) slightly reduced color parameters (L* value 29.13 ± 2.05), those with chitosan (CACLM) demonstrated lower weight loss (below 6%). Overall, the alginate–chitosan coating, particularly when combined with microencapsulated L. casei, proved effective in maintaining the quality, safety, and nutritional value of strawberries during refrigerated storage, highlighting its potential for developing functional, eco-friendly packaging solutions. This research contributes to the development of sustainable food preservation strategies and functional foods.

Spent coffee grounds (SCG) are a widely available agro-industrial residue rich in carbon and phenolic compounds, presenting significant potential for biotechnological valorization. This study evaluated the use of SCG as a suitable substrate for fungal laccase production and the application of the resulting fermented biomass (RFB), a mixture of fermented SCG and fungal biomass as a biosorbent for textile dye removal. Two fungal strains, namely Lentinus crinitus UCP 1206 and Trametes sp. UCP 1244, were evaluated in both submerged (SmF) and solid-state fermentation (SSF) using SCG. L. crinitus showed superior performance in SSF, reaching 14.62 U/g of laccase activity. Factorial design revealed that a lower SCG amount (5 g) and higher moisture (80%) and temperature (30 °C ± 0.2) favored enzyme production. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses confirmed significant structural degradation of SCG after fermentation, especially in SSF. Furthermore, SCG and RFB were chemically activated and evaluated as biosorbents. The activated carbon from SCG (ACSCG) and RFB (ACRFB) exhibited high removal efficiencies for Remazol dyes, comparable to commercial activated carbon. These findings highlight the potential of SCG as a low-cost, sustainable resource for enzyme production and wastewater treatment, contributing to circular bioeconomy strategies.

Estudos envolvendo bactérias promotoras de crescimento de plantas vêm chamando cada vez mais atenção no setor agrícola, devido ao seu potencial para melhorar o crescimento, produção e proteger as plantas dos estresses bióticos e abióticos. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito de três espécies de bactérias promotoras de crescimento de plantas (Bacillus subtilis, Priestia megaterium e Priestia aryabhattai) no crescimento e nos aspectos morfológicos e bioquímicos de plântulas de Gossypium hirsutumL. (algodão). O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação com quatro tratamentos (um controle e três inoculações) e cinco repetições por tratamento. As sementes foram inoculadas por imersão em suspensões bacterianas (109 UFC/mL) e então semeadas em vasos. As plantas foram acompanhadas por 60 dias. Na coleta, as plantas foram mensuradas quanto à massa fresca das raízes e da parte aérea, à altura da parte aérea, ao diâmetro do caule e número de folhas. Amostras foliares foram submetidas às análises bioquímicas. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que sementes tratadas com P. aryabhattai tiveram melhorias significativas nos parâmetros de massa fresca, altura da planta, diâmetro do caule e número de folhas e nos teores de clorofila (a, b e total), nitrogênio e proteínas em relação às plantas do tratamento controle. Plantas tratadas com P. megaterium também obtiveram melhorias na massa fresca, no diâmetro do caule e nos teores de nitrogênio e proteínas. Esses resultados indicam um potencial dessas bactérias promotoras de crescimento de plantas para utilização em culturas do algodão, podendo ser empregadas na elaboração de bioestimulantes e biofertilizantes.

HMG-CoA reductase (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase) is the enzyme that plays a limiting role in cholesterol biosynthesis. Among the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor molecules, statins stand out, a class of drug used in the treatment of atherosclerosis and in the reduction of high cholesterol levels, therefore they are biomolecules of medical and pharmaceutical importance. In this context, this work aimed to carry out a systematic mapping of patents and scientific articles related to the biosynthesis of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. The search was carried out in the databases of the National Institute of Intellectual Property (INPI), the European Patent Office (Espacenet), the Derwent Innovations Index, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and also articles indexed in Scielo and Pubmed using as descriptors “statins”, “production and statins and fungi”, “statins and fungus”. Of the 2561 cataloged patents, 09 were included because they met the inclusion criteria. The number of scientific articles found in the databases was higher (2820) when compared to the number of patents. As a country, China represents the largest holder on the subject, corresponding to 88.9% of patented products. Based on the mapping, advances in the search for strategies for the biotechnological production of statins can be highlighted. Some of the inventions used microorganisms such as filamentous fungi associated with agro-industrial substrates as an alternative and low-cost source for the production of statins to replace synthetic sources. However, future studies can be carried out using new fungi and new renewable substrates, considering the existing biodiversity worldwide.