Biotechnological applications of a crude enzymatic extract from Penicillium brevicompactum

Abstract

Environmental pollutants, such as atrazine and desethyl-atrazine, a herbicide commonly used in agriculture and its transformation product, along with the accumulation of lignocellulosic residues from agriculture, pose serious challenges that threaten human health, biodiversity, and sustainable food production. This study examines how the fungus Penicillium brevicompactum, when cultivated on sugarcane bagasse, can provide a practical and cost-effective solution to combat pollution while producing useful enzymes. The solid-state fermentation process was optimized by maintaining the moisture content at 65% for seven days, resulting in high yields of critical enzymes, including ligninases and various cell wall-degrading enzymes, such as carboxymethyl cellulose, total cellulase, xylanase, pectinase, avicelase, β-glucosidase, protease, and chitinase. The crude enzyme extract demonstrated significant potential for a range of applications. Notably, both the crude extract and the dialysate were able to degrade approximately 75% of atrazine and desethyl-atrazine within just 21 days, offering an alternative method for pollutant removal. Analysis of the sugarcane bagasse after fermentation revealed significant structural and chemical changes, indicating effective biomass conversion. The extracts also exhibited antifungal properties, inhibiting over 60% of various species of phytopathogenic fungi, and proved effective against nematodes, reducing the larvae of Panagrellus sp. by up to 75%. These results underscore the potential of using P. brevicompactum in conjunction with agricultural residues to sustainably produce beneficial enzymes and extracts. This approach could lead to effective solutions for environmental bioremediation and promote more sustainable agricultural practices, transforming waste into value-added products while creating environmentally friendly options for crop protection. Future research should focus on scaling up these processes and testing their effectiveness in real agricultural settings to facilitate broader implementation in environmental management and agricultural practices.