Tarek Rouissi

National Institute of Scientific Research | INRS

Despite recent attention being paid to the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in cold environments, scale-up studies of biodegradation are lacking. Herein, the effect of scale-up on the enzymatic biodegradation of highly contaminated soil at low temperatures was studied. A novel cold-adapted bacteria (Arthrobacter sp. S2TR-06) was isolated th...

Stability and reusability properties are the two most important factors that determine an enzyme's application in industry. To this end, cold-active crude enzymes from a psychrophile were immobilized on magnetic chitosan microparticles using glutaraldehyde as a linker. Immobilization was optimized based on four variables, such as magnetic particle,...

Fumaric acid esters (FAEs) such as monomethyl fumarate (MMF) and dimethyl fumarate (DMF) are active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) used in the treatment of psoriasis and multiple sclerosis. The present work investigates the use of biobased fumaric acid obtained via submerged fermentation under fixed conditions for the production of FAEs. The effe...

Ciprofloxacin (CIP), a widely used antibiotic, is frequently detected in the environment due to insufficient wastewater and water treatment. Hence, novel, green and cost-effective technologies are required to enhance the removal of these pollutants. The potency of crude enzymes, especially laccases, produced by white-rot fungi was tested to assess...

Petroleum degrading enzymes can be used as an alternative way to improve petroleum bioremediation approaches. Alcanivorax borkumensis is an alkane-degrading bacteria that can produce petroleum degrading enzymes such as alkane hydroxylase and lipase. In this study, pilot-scale Alcanivorax borkumensis fermentation was developed for producing large vo...

The potential use of lignocellulosic biomass as the feedstock for fumaric acid production and to select the specific Rhizopus oryzae strain for bioproduction was investigated in the current work. For this purpose, alkaline pretreatment of the biomass from perennial grasses, silver grass (Miscanthus sp.) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), and hemp...

p-Xylene is considered a recalcitrant compound despite showing a similar aromatic structure to other BTEXs (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene isomers). This study evaluated the p-xylene biodegradation potential of three psychrophilic Pseudomonas strains (Pseudomonas putida S2TR-01, Pseudomonas synxantha S2TR-20, and Pseudomonas azotoformans S2...

Biochar and chitosan are considered as green and cost-effective adsorbents for water purification; the combination of these two materials may lead to an improved adsorption capacity of the generated adsorbents. Most sorption studies have been focused on the ability to adsorb one contaminant or the same type of contaminants. Thus, this study aimed t...

Enzymatic bioremediation is a sustainable and environment-friendly method for the clean-up of contaminated soil and water. In the present study, enzymatic bioremediation was designed using cold-active enzymes (psychrozymes) which catalyze oxidation steps of p-xylene biodegradation in highly contaminated soil (initial concentration of 13,000 mg/kg)....

Though many studies pertaining to soil bioremediation have been performed to study the microbial kinetics in shake flasks, the process efficiency in column tests is seldom. In the present study, soil columns tests were carried out to study the biodegradation of soil contaminated with a high concentration of diesel (≈19.5 g/kg) petroleum hydrocarbon...

Anaerobic digestion (AD) under psychrophilic temperature has only recently garnered deserved attention. In major parts of Europe, USA, Canada and Australia, climatic conditions are more suited for psychrophilic (<20 ℃) rather than mesophilic (35 – 37 ℃) and thermophilic (55 – 60 ℃) AD. Low temperature has adverse effects on important cellular proce...

Toluene/o-Xylene Monooxygenase (ToMO) is equipped with a broad spectrum of aromatic substrate specificity (such as BTEX; benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and isomers of xylenes). TOMO has can hydroxylate more than a single position of aromatic rings in two consecutive monooxygenation reactions. Catechol 1,2-dioxygenase (C1,2D) is an iron-containing...

The current work investigates the impact of using immobilized Rhizopus oryzae NRRL 1526 for bioproduction of fumaric acid using agro-industrial residues as feedstock. This use of agro-industrial residues, a renewable feedstock, for the production of bio-based platform chemical makes the process cost-competitive as well as greener by preventing the...

The analytical study was conducted to evaluate the concentration of ciprofloxacin (CIP), chlortetracycline (CTC), and chosen metals in a wastewater treatment plant. The concentration of CIP was slightly higher in the effluent (0.703 ± 0.045 µg/L) than the influent (0.467 ± 0.049 µg/L) in wastewater samples. More than 70% of CTC was recovered during...

The co-metabolic biodegradation of p-xylene (as a non-growth substrate model) by Pseudomonas putida (well-known aromatic compounds degrading microorganism) in the presence of Benzene (B), Toluene (T), and Ethylbenzene (E) was studied. Michaelis-Menten/Monod kinetics coupled with co-metabolic degradation expression can be applied for systems contain...

Sites contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons in cold-climate regions have recently received significant attention due to their sensitive ecosystem and human health impacts. Two cold-adapted pseudomonas strains were isolated from contaminated groundwater and soil. As xylene monooxygenase from Pseudomonas synxantha S2TR-26 and catechol 2,3-dioxygenas...

In the present study, the potential use of cellulosic microfibers (CMFs) extracted from hemp fiber (HF) and pulp and paper solid waste (mixed sludge (MS), deinked sludge (DS)) as a reinforcing agent in novel bio composite materials produced from recycled Polylactic acid (rPLA) was investigated. CMFs were extracted and treated using physicochemical...

p-xylene is considered a recalcitrant compound despite the similar aromatic structure with BTE (Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene). This study evaluated the biodegradation potential of p-xylene by three cold-active Pseudomona s strains (named Pseudomonas putida S2TR-01, Pseudomonas S2TR-20, and Pseudomonas S2TR-09). The catabolic genes ( xylM, xylA an...

The use of biodiesel-derived glycerol as a carbon source for single cell oil (SCO) production is a biorefinery engineering strategy that aims to valorize the by-product waste and make the microbial lipid production process more cost-effective. This work aimed to improve the capacity of Yarrowia lipolytica to produce large amounts of lipids and repl...

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is one of the most common contaminants of poultry feed and has been linked to adverse effects on animal health and productivity. In this study, the degradation of AFB1 was studied with cell-free extracts (CFE) of Trametes versicolor and Bacillus subtilis using High-Performance Liquid chromatography (HPLC). CFE from B. subtilis a...

Pumpkin peel wastes are an unutilized source of starch, whose bioethanol production has not been reported by any research work so far. Such bioethanol is believed to show the potential uses of these wastes. Therefore, the present work was conducted to optimize the reducing sugar concentration and bioethanol production from pumpkin peel wastes using...

Pyroligneous acid (PA) was evaluated as a potential alternative to therapeutic antibiotics in poultry. Antimicrobial activity of PA was studied at acidic pH (2.0) and neutral pH (7.0) of the liquid against Salmonella enterica and Lactobacillus acidophilus. Acidic PA gave a MIC value of 0.8% (v/v) and 1.6% (v/v), and neutralized PA gave a MIC value...

Recycled polylactic acid (PLAr) was reinforced with treated nanocellulosic hemp fibers for biocomposite fabrication. Cellulosic fibers were extracted from hemp fibers chemically and treated enzymatically. Treated nanocellulosic fibers (NCF) were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy...

A novel bioformulation comprising of spray-dried enzymes and Saccharomyces cerevisiae biomass was evaluated in the field for its efficacy to improve broiler performance. A total of 360, one-day-old Cobb 500 male chicken were assigned randomly to four dietary treatments with 15 birds in each of six replicates the dietary treatments were basal diet (...

Chitosan is the only pseudonatural cationic biopolymer and its unique properties have led to its use in diverse industries. Currently, the chitosan is sourced from crustacean wastes but the increase in the demand for the polymer is bound to lead to overexploitation. Moreover, the production of chitosan from the shell waste produces large quantities...

The combination of electro-oxidation and enzymatic oxidation was tested to evaluate the potency of this system to remove ciprofloxacin (CIP), a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, from water. For the electro-oxidation boron-doped diamond (BDD) and mixed metal oxides anodes were tested, at three current densities (4.42, 17.7 and 35.4 A/cm2). BDD anode at 35...

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) belong to the large group of compounds that are composed of multiple aromatic rings. These are found in natural and anthropogenic sources like coal and petrol and can be detected in various environmental compartments, which is a strong concern due to their toxic, cancerogenic, and genotoxic properties. It is...

Surface functional groups on biochars are one of the key features which determine biochar properties and their potential applications. In this study, biochars obtained from various feedstocks, such as pinewood, pig manure, and almond shell were functionalized using organic acids, such as acetic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, oxalic acid, and mal...

Fumaric acid (FA), a metabolic intermediate, has been identified as an important carbohydrate derived platform chemical. Currently, it is commercially sourced from petrochemicals by chemical conversion. The shift to biochemical synthesis has become essential for sustainable development and for the transition to a biobased economy from a petroleum-b...

Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of chitosan from dried fungal biomass of Rhizopus oryzae NRRL1526, obtained by culturing on potato dextrose broth (PDB), was performed and the optimal conditions required were identified using statistical analysis for the first time in this study. This microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was compared against the...

A novel technology was developed to obtain a high amount of pyroligneous acid (PA) rich in organics. PA was obtained by atmospheric pyrolysis of a mixture of pine, spruce and fir wood particles, analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and evaluated for in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activity. Several microbial inhibitory com...

Laccase bound biochar as a fixed-bed column for the removal of emerging contaminant, diclofenac (DCF) provides novel insights into valorization of waste materials, application of environmentally benign sorbents and removal of DCF with possibilities of scaling up for larger applications. Micro-biochar prepared from pine wood BC-PW) and pig manure (B...

Xylanase and amylase were produced by Aspergillus niger by solid state fermentation of apple pomace. The enzyme formulation was produced by spray drying, for which, Response surface methodology was used to optimize inlet temperature (T inlet ), atomization air pressure (P) and sample feed rate (F r ). Optimal conditions obtained for spray drying we...

This chapter focuses on some of the challenges related to the fermentation process improvement and the scale‐up efficiency. The development of the fermentation process and its optimization is seriously challenged by a lack of the knowledge about scale up and other issues such as the influence of morphology on broth rheology and mass transfer. Durin...

In recent years, there have been advances in bioremediation of pollutants with the goal of effective clean-up of environments in an eco-friendly and cost-effective approach. For contamination removal at cold climate sites, bioremediation approaches are appealing due to their potential to be more cost-effective and efficient than alternative, more e...

Although enzymes are gifted with unique and unprecedented catalytic activity and selectivity over a wide range of pollutants, still their stability related issues often hinder their application in real environmental conditions. In this study, agro-industrially produced crude laccase was concentrated using ultrafiltration. Crude laccase was immobili...

This study investigates motor oil (3, 5, 7.5 and 10% (v v-1)) as a sole carbon source for the production of Alcanivorax borkumensis in shake flasks and a 5 L bench-scale fermenter in comparison to the standard media. Shake flask studies showed a significant and higher cell growth (p=0.000038), lipase (p = 0.006900) and alkane hydroxylase production...

Immobilization of enzymes on the solid supports can improve the stability as well as catalytic properties of enzymes. In this study, biochar derived from various feedstocks were used as immobilization support considering biochars carbon negative as well as sustainable properties. Partially purified (concentrated) crude laccase was covalently immobi...

The crude alkane hydroxylase and lipase enzymes from the hydrocarbonoclastic bacterium, Alcanivorax borkumensis were entrapped into chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) by ionotropic gelation method. For an optimal loading efficiency, enzyme-chitosan/tripolyphosphate (ENZ-CS/TPP) ratio was investigated. Fourier transform infrared spectra and morphology b...

Bioremediation for degradation of hydrocarbons is a widely used alternative for the recovery of contaminated sites. The current study aimed to use Alcanivorax borkumensis crude enzyme preparation as an agent for enhanced microbial hydrocarbons biodegradation in contaminated water and soil. The inoculum and hydrocarbons concentration have a remarkab...

Antibiotics are used to fight bacterial infections. A pressure of selection gave rise to bacteria resistant to antibiotics. This leaves scientists worried about the danger to human and animal health. Some strategies can be borrowed to reduce the use of antibiotics in chicken farms. Much research has been carried out to look for natural agents with...

This study investigates the production of alkane hydroxylase, lipase and esterase by the marine hydrocarbon degrading bacteria Alcanivorax borkumensis. The focus of this study is the remediation of petroleum hydrocarbons, hexane, hexadecane and motor oil as model substrates. A. borkumensis showed an incremental growth on these substrates with a hig...

Biochars were prepared from feedstocks pinewood and pig manure. Biochar microparticles obtained through grinding were evaluated for the removal of emerging contaminant diclofenac (DCF) and the underlying mechanism were thoroughly studied. Characterization of biochar was carried out using particle size analyzer, SEM, BET, FT-IR, XRD, XPS and zeta po...

Due to its wide occurrence in water resources and toxicity, pharmaceuticals and personal care products are becoming an emerging concern throughout the world. Application of residual/waste materials for water remediation can be a good strategy in waste management as well as in waste valorization. Herein, this dataset provides information on biochar...

Environmental considerations along with the technological challenges have led to search for green and energy-efficient processes for advanced nanostructured materials. In this study, nanobiochar was produced from pine wood biochar using a planetary ball mill. A central composite experimental design and response surface methodology was employed to o...

The discovery of the growth promoting property of antibiotics led to their use as antibiotic feed additives (AFAs) in animal feed at sub-therapeutic doses. Although this has been beneficial for animal health and productivity, it has been, essentially, a double-edged sword. The continued and non-judicious use of AFAs has led to the selection and dis...

A widely used anti-inflammatory drug, diclofenac (DCF) is recalcitrant in many environmental compartments and poses threat to several aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Enzymatic degradation of emerging contaminants which are often micropollutants, has gained interest for the past few years. However, production of enzymes often incurs high costs. I...

Crude glycerol has been widely investigated as a renewable carbon source for biodiesel production. In the present study, this feedstock was supplemented by various inducers surfactants and oils to enhance lipid and lipase production by the newly isolated yeast, Yarrowia lipolytica. Results have shown that a culture medium composed of olive oil coul...

This study investigated mechanical properties of biocomposites developed from recycled polylactic acid (PLA) from packaging industry and treated cellulosic fibers from pulp and paper solid waste. Microwave and enzymatic treatments were used for extraction and surface modification of hydrophilic cellulosic fibers. Enzymatic treatment was specificall...

Enzymatic degradation of emerging contaminants which are often micropollutants, has gained wide attention in the past few years. However, production of enzymes are often laden with challenges such as high production costs. In this study, ligninolytic enzyme laccase was produced by white rot fungi Tremetes versicolor (ATCC 20869) using agro-industri...

In recent years, application of biochar for removal of pollutants from aqueous solutions has been of interest due to favorable physico-chemical properties and availability of feedstock. However, adsorption behavior has been reported only for raw and micro biochar particles and taking advantage of biochar nanoparticles, which offer superior specific...

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a large group of chemicals. They represent an important concern due to their widespread distribution in the environment, their resistance to biodegradation, their potential to bioaccumulate and their harmful effects. Several pilot treatments have been implemented to prevent economic consequences and deter...

Diclofenac (DCF), a prevalent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) is often detected in wastewater and surface water. Analysis of the pharmaceuticals in complex matrices is often laden with challenges. In this study a reliable, rapid and sensitive method based on laser diode thermal desorption/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (LDTD/...

Biochar microparticles were prepared from three different types of biochar, derived from waste materials, such as pine wood (BC-PW), pig manure (BC-PM) and cardboard (BC-PD) under various pyrolysis conditions. The microparticles were prepared by dry grinding and sequential sieving through various ASTM sieves. Particle size and specific surface area...

Biochar microparticles were prepared from three different types of biochar, derived from waste materials, such as pine wood (BC-PW), pig manure (BC-PM) and cardboard (BC-PD) under various pyrolysis conditions. The microparticles were prepared by dry grinding and sequential sieving through various ASTM sieves. Particle size and specific surface area...

Because of the increasing global demand of energy and climate change effects, environmental concerns are arisen to search for alternative substrates in order to mitigate climate change and reduce the consumption of fossil fuels. Therefore, the life cycle assessment was designed to evaluate the global environmental performance of various potential s...

Sorbitol is a natural sugar alcohol with an increasing range of applications from the food industry (as a sweetener) to pharmaceutical applications (mainly as a carrier) to the cosmetics industry (as an emulsion stabilizer). Sorbitol is considered to be one of the top 12 high value-added building block intermediate chemicals that can be produced fr...

Global warming and the depletion of fossil fuels have created major pressure for scientists to seek alternative sources of energy and organic carbon. Biomass is a potential source from which many platform molecules can be derived. The development of sustainable technologies for producing these platform chemicals from renewable resources is very cha...

Background Several techniques have been conventionally proposed to recover chitin from shrimp waste using large amount of freshwater and chemicals. The standard chemical recovery of chitin was first compared by replacing fresh water with seawater. In addition, biotechnological process with Bacillus subtilis (B1) and Bacillus licheniformis (B2) usin...

This study aims to underline the huge potential in Canada of adding value to cardboard and compost as a renewable fuel with a low ecological footprint. The slow pyrolysis process of lined cardboard and compost blend was investigated. Thermal behavior was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis coupled with mass spectrometry (TGA-MS). The thermal...

Liquid and alfalfa seed coated formulations of Sinorhizobium meliloti were developed as potential bio-inoculant. S. meliloti used in the present study was successfully cultivated using starch industry wastewater as the feedstock. The additives, such as sucrose, sorbitol, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyethylene glycol (PEG), sodium alginates, and d...

The pyrolysis and combustion behavior of animal breeding compost (compost blend sample) was evaluated by means of thermogravimetric-mass spectrometric analysis (TGA-MS). The moisture content of the sample was rather high (>40 wt.%) which supposes a mandatory drying step before using these types of samples in thermal applications. The main pyrolytic...

A spray-drying process was optimised by response surface methodology for the development of a powder formulation of Sinorhizobium meliloti (produced in starch industry wastewater). The process parameters comprised drying temperature, air drying rate, spray pressure and feed sample rate. Cheese whey powder, sorbitol and sucrose were added at 10, 1 a...

This study assessed the utilization of viscosity and zeta potential as a novel method to evaluate suspendibility of formulation of Sinorhizobium meliloti grown in starch industry wastewater for use as bio-inoculants. For this objective, sorbitol was used as a suspending agent at concentrations of 0 to 10% w/v. Model, based on multiple linear regres...

Application of rhizobial inoculant is an agricultural practice successfully used to increase growth and yield of leguminous plants. Development of a concentrated culture is essential for advanced formulations. This study assessed the use of starch industry wastewater as a potent carbon source for production of Sinorhizobium meliloti, with a maximum...