Biotechnological valorisation of agro-industrial wastes for the production of cellulases

This experimental work is embedded in a wider European-funded project named Etoile (FP7/2007-2013, Project n° 222331). The aim of Etoile project was to develop a new integrated process where the two main wastes coming from olive oil traditional three-phase production process, the solid lignocellulosic olive pomace (OP) and the liquid olive oil mill waste water (OOMW), are exploited for the production of cellulolytic enzymes and bioethanol.More specifically, this experimental work was focused on the exploitation of the two selected wastes for the production of cellulase enzymes. In a first stage, olive pomace has been tested as a new low-cost inducer for the production of enzymes by the myceliar fungus Trichoderma reesei Rut-C30, in different cultural and metabolic conditions. Considering that OOMW may be present (as an entrainment) together with OP in the case of 3-phase processing or of drained alperujo, we also investigated the effect of that liquid residue and the effect some of the most representative OOMW polyphenols (vanillic acid, caffeic acid and tyrosol) on cellulase production. Olive pomace ahs also been tested as carbon source (after a thermochemical pretreatment) for the growth of the mold. Finally, the ability of T. reesei to grow on and biotreat the olive oil mill waste water has been unsuccessfully tested.