Abstract:Olive leaves (OLL) represent a major waste generated during the production of olive oil, but there is a great potential for their valorization, because they provide important content in polyphenolic phytochemicals, which possess several bioactivities. In spite of the high number of studies dealing with polyphenol recovery from olive leaves, green processes involving environmentally benign solvents are scarce. In this study, a novel renewable natural low-transition temperature mixture (LTTM), composed of glycerol and sodium-potassium tartrate, was tested for its efficient ability to extract polyphenolic substances from OLL. The extraction process was optimised by using response surface methodology and the maximum yield in total polyphenols was 26.75 ± 3.22 mg caffeic acid equivalents per g dry weight, achieved with 50% (v/v) aqueous LTTM, liquid-to-solid ratio of 45 mL g −1 and at 73 • C. The LTTM was proven to be equally effective with 60% aqueous methanol, but it displayed inferior antioxidant properties. Liquid chromatography-diode array-mass spectrometry analyses revealed no significant qualitative differences between the LTTM and the aqueous methanolic extract.
Pleurotus pulmonarius mushroom was cultivated on liquid cultures with olive mill wastewaters (OMWs) of initial phenolic compound concentrations of 0 (control), 1, 2 and 3 g/L and glucose at initial concentrations of 40 and 60 g/L. The ability of the fungus to grow on media containing toxic compounds enriched with glucose was assessed through biomass production, glucose consumption, polysaccharide (IPS) accumulation and total cellular lipids biosynthesis, while the total phenolic compounds (TPC) and antioxidant component monitoring were also assessed during a 43-day fermentation. An analysis of the total simple sugar composition of IPS and the total fatty acid composition of lipids was performed. The phenolic reduction and media decolorization were also monitored. Results showed that the addition of glucose in OMW-based media had a positive effect on biomass, IPS and lipid production and increased the unsaturated fatty acids and TPC concentration. The maximum recorded values were the following: biomass 32.76 g/L, IPS 4.38 g/L (14.70%, w/w in dry weight), lipids 2.85 g/L (11.69%, w/w in dry weight). The mycelial lipids were unsaturated and dominated by linoleic acid, whereas IPS were composed mainly of glucose. Significant phenolic compound reduction (87–95%) and color removal (70–85%) occurred. Results strongly suggest the potentiality of P. pulmonarius utilization in the OMW treatment.
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