The chemical composition of aerosols has been determined in 30 size-resolved samples collected using a Berner lowpressure impactor during two campaigns conducted at a coastal site in the Eastern Mediterranean in July 2000 and in January 2001. Sulfate ðSO 4 accounting for up to 38% of the total fine mass and up to 65% of the total ionic mass during both seasons. On the other hand, nitrate ðNO À 3 Þ; chloride ðCl À Þ; sodium ðNa þ Þ and calcium ðCa 2þ Þ were identified as the main components of the super-micron mode. The ionic organic compounds (including carboxylic, dicarboxylic and ketoacids) were distributed both between sub-micron and super-micron mode, indicating origin from both gas-to-particle conversion and heterogeneous reactions on pre-existing particles. The total water-soluble ionic organic fraction although accounting for only up to 1-2% of both coarse ð> 1 mmÞ and fine ðo1 mmÞ mass fractions, accounts for up to 15% of the organic carbon (OC) mass. NH þ 4 was found to be significantly correlated to non-sea-salt sulfate (nss-SO 2À 4 ), with NH þ 4 =nss-SO 2À 4 molar ratio ranging from 1.3 to 2, the lower ratio associated with transport from the W sector. Chloride depletion was observed mainly during summer and was significantly correlated with NO À 3 concentrations, with a molar ratio of 0.80, indicating the reaction of nitric acid with NaCl as the main source of NO À 3 in the area. Total ionic mass both in the fine and coarse fraction accounted for up to 58% of the total aerosol mass during both seasons. An attempt to perform a mass closure analysis indicates that nss-SO 2À 4 and organic carbon are the main components of the fine fraction with relative contributions of 38% and 16%, respectively. In the coarse fraction, the ionic part accounts for 58%, mineral dust for 32% and the remaining non-identified part of 12-30% could be partly attributed to water. r

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Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) of Pleurotus ostreatus was supplemented with wheat bran and soybean flour in various proportions to obtain C/N ratios of 10, 20, and 30, and their effect was evaluated in successive cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus pulmonarius, Ganoderma adspersum, Ganoderma resinaceum, and Lentinula edodes strains with respect to mycelium growth rate, biomass concentration, recovery of the enzyme laccase and crude exopolysaccharides, and also with additional fruiting body production. All fungi showed the highest growth rate on unamended SMS (C/N 30), with G. resinaceum being the fastest colonizer (Kr = 9.84 mm day), while biomass concentration maximized at C/N 10. Moreover, supplementation affected positively laccase activity, with P. pulmonarius furnishing the highest value (44,363.22 U g) at C/N 20. On the contrary, L. edodes growth, fruiting, and laccase secretion were not favored by SMS supplementation. Fruiting body formation was promoted at C/N 30 for Ganoderma and at C/N 20 for Pleurotus species. Exopolysaccharide production of further studied Pleurotus strains was favored at a C/N 20 ratio, at the initial stage of SMS colonization. The obtained results support the potential effective utilization of supplemented SMS for laccase production from Ganoderma spp. and for new fruiting body production of Pleurotus spp.

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Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) of Pleurotus ostreatus was supplemented with wheat bran and soybean flour and used as substrate for a new cultivation cycle of the oyster mushrooms Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus pulmonarius. The bioconversion efficiency of mushrooms produced over substrate (BE%) used and the chemical composition of sporophores were evaluated. The concentration of mycelial mass, crude exopolysaccharide content and laccase enzyme activity were also determined at the supplemented SMS before inoculation, at 50% and 100% of colonization stages in the new cultivation and in the final re-utilized SMS. The laccase enzyme was extracted to examine SMS potential for the dephenolization of olive mill and winery wastewaters. Results showed that both Pleurotus species exhibited BE over 185%, demonstrating this bioprocess could represent a promising strategy to convert SMS into nutritional food. Data also indicate the strong positive impact that SMS could have in the solid wastes’ management and agribusiness enhancement.

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