Mycoremediation of Wastewater by Fungal Lipases

Abstract

Lipases have the ability to modify oils and fats through hydrolysis reactions in which the ester links oftriglycerides are broken in the presence of water, producing glycerol and fatty acids. These enzymes offer an alternative for the remediation of contaminated wastewater and can be used to minimize the potential cytotoxic impact caused by the oil-based pollutants discharged to the environment. Lipases have been isolated from many species of animals, plants, and microorganisms; however, microbial lipases are more versatile with interesting characteristics such as stability in organic solvents, activity under various conditions, high specificity, and selectivity of the substrate. The protocol presented in this chapter offers a way to evaluate the mycoremediation of wastewater rich in fats and oils using lipase enzymes from fungal culture supernatants.