Brazilian textile mills import wastewater treatment technologies, performances of which are generally evaluated only on a physicochemical basis. Thus, a battery of bioassays was used to evaluate the performance of an ozonation system to treat textile effluents. Comparative toxicological profiles for bacteria (Vibrio fischeri), algae (Scenedesmus subspicatus), daphnia (Daphnia magna), fish (Poecilia reticulata), and plants (soybean--Glycine max, rice--Oryza sativa, and wheat--Triticum aestivum), as well as genotoxic effects (Vicia faba micronucleus assay), are presented for both raw and ozonated textile effluents. The relative sensitivity of bioassays (or end points) to textile effluents found in this study in decreasing order was plant enzymes > bacteria > algae daphnids approximately = plant biomass approximately = germination rate > fish. No significant genotoxic effect was found. We have concluded that ozonation was relatively effective in reducing toxicity of textile effluents. Bioassays used in this study proved to be sensitive and reliable tools for determining the toxicity of industrial effluents, and thus they can be used to evaluate emerging technology efficiency.
There has been an increasing debate about the use of synthetic chemical compounds and the consequences of their use in food preservation. In this context, the utilization of some natural compounds produced by bacteria, showing an inhibitory effect against microorganisms associated with food contamination, have gained attention as preservation technology. In order to improve the production and yield costs of bacteriocins, detailed studies are necessary to determine the conditions that allow an optimized production and extraction of bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria (LAB). In this context, this article aims to discuss the information regarding the main factors that influence bacteriocin production by LAB. The biosynthesis of bacteriocins can be influenced by various culture conditions, such as the composition of the medium, pH, temperature and growth kinetics of the microorganisms. One of the limiting factors for the use of bacteriocins on a large scale in food preservation is the economic factor. In order for the production costs of bacteriocins to be reduced, making them attractive, it is necessary to know the optimum parameters of production, thus maximizing productivity and making costs more attractive.
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