MIC GIVER

The objective of the MIC GIVER project (MICROMYCETE TARGETED BIOTECHNOLOGICAL VALORIZATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL BIOREMEDIATION) is to explore the biotechnological potential of micromycetes for the in situ bioremediation of four diverse but emblematic groups of non-sterile hydrocarbons (NSHs): glyphosate and AMPA, picric acid, crude oil, and waxes. These NSHs represent a persistent threat to the environment, either directly or through their degradation byproducts. A pollutant requires specific remediation methods that depend on its individual lifespan, inherent physicochemical properties, and behavior in the affected environment. Bioremediation is an ecological remediation method that uses living organisms, either natural or biotechnologically produced, selected for their ability to degrade, transform, and/or accumulate NSHs in situ. These organisms are capable of developing by using toxic compounds as sources of carbon and energy, through co-metabolism, or by changing their organic or oxidative state to a less hazardous and more bioavailable one (e.g., water solubility, metal speciation). Bioremediation can be used when the natural attenuation rate of pollutants is too low or too slow. Plants, fungi, and bacteria have proven capable of partially or completely decontaminating heavily contaminated environments (e.g., by heavy metals or oil spills). Bioremediation can be carried out using two strategies: in situ, directly on the polluted site, or ex situ, by harvesting the polluted matrix (e.g., sands) and decontaminating it, for example, using a sludge bioreactor. Ex situ bioremediation is generally much more effective than in situ bioremediation. However, due to its cost, the use of ex situ bioremediation is limited to cases where the polluted matrix can be easily extracted from the affected environment.

During the MIC GIVER project, the effectiveness of the developed processes will be tested either by using fungi or their metabolites to stimulate contaminant degradation, or by enhancing the pollution-removing activity of plants through the addition of fungi or their metabolites.

Ultimately, MIC GIVER will enable the development of new fungal bioprocesses for pollution removal.

The approach adopted to conduct this project integrates four successive phases (Work Package – WP):

Screening of biodegradation activities and surfactant production (WP1);

Screening of HNS biodegradation activities and mycosurfactant production from 500 fungal strains from the UBOCC and LUBEM collections, with the ultimate goal of two positive matches per HNS; Discovery of new mycosurfactants and/or biodegradation activities specific to four emblematic HNS (TRL3).

Structural Chemistry (WP2)

Extraction, purification, and structural characterization of fungal secondary metabolites identified in WP1.

Innovation Optimization and Industrial Transfer (WP3)

Extraction, purification, and large-scale production of mycosurfactants identified in WP2.

Operational assessment (WP4)

Pilot-scale efficacy testing of the biodegradation activities of the strains identified in WP1 and the surfactant properties of the mycosurfactants produced in WP3.

Link to the project website: https://www.mic-giver.eu/