Sustainable Bioremediation of Lipid-Rich Wastewater Using a Lipase from Penicillium rubens LBM 081

ORTELLADO, LAURA ESTER; SCHIMPF, ALAN ROLANDO AYALA; BENÍTEZ, SILVANA FLORENCIA; VILLALBA, LAURA LIDIA; ZAPATA, PEDRO DARÍO; FONSECA, MARÍA ISABEL

Water

Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute

Año: 2025 vol. 17

The improper discharge of wastewater has increased the presence of pollutants, among which lipids are particularly problematic. These compounds form oily layers that hinder oxygen transfer and sunlight penetration, negatively impacting aquatic ecosystems. Conventional methods for treating such effluents are often costly and environmentally unfriendly. In this context, bioremediation using lipases, such as those produced by Penicillium rubens LBM 081, represents an effective and sustainable alternative. This study evaluated the biotechnological potential of the lipase from P. rubens LBM 081 for the hydrolysis of lipid-rich wastewater. Lipase activity was influenced by the carbon and nitrogen sources in the culture medium, reaching maximum activity (2780 U mL−1) under optimal conditions of 2% meat peptone, 4% olive oil, a spore concentration of 1 × 106, incubation at 30 °C, and agitation at 140 rpm. The optimized enzymatic supernatant significantly reduced COD, oils, and total fats in the effluents. Furthermore, GC-MS analysis revealed a significant increase in free fatty acids, confirming triglyceride hydrolysis. These results highlight the potential of P. rubens LBM 081 lipase as an effective and environmentally sustainable biotechnological alternative for the treatment of lipid-rich wastewater.