The possibility of developing an immobilised-enzyme bioprobe, based on mushroom polyphenol oxidase, for the purely biological detection and quantification of phenolic pollutants in water was investigated. Polyphenol oxidase catalyses the bioconversion of many phenolic compounds into quinone-related coloured products. Thus, in an immobilised form, the enzyme serves as a visible indicator of the presence and concentration of phenolic pollutants in water. The objective of this research was to develop a portable, disposable bioprobe incorporating polyphenol oxidase for this purpose. The intensity of the colour changes produced by the enzyme on reaction with p-cresol, p-chlorophenol and phenol was found to increase proportionally with increasing concentrations of these substrates in solution. Immobilisation of the enzyme on various supports did not appear to significantly affect the catalytic activity of the enzyme. The enzyme was immobilised by adsorption and cross-linking on polyethersulphone, nitrocellulose and nylon membranes with the production of various colour ranges on reaction with the phenolic substrates. The most successful immobilisation of the enzyme, in terms of quantity and distribution of enzyme immobilised and colour production, was obtained with the enzyme immobilised by adsorption on nylon membranes in the presence of 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone (MBTH). The enzyme, immobilised using this method, produced ranges of maroon colours in phenolic solutions and orange colours in cresylic solutions. The colour intensities produced were found to increase proportionally with increasing substrate concentration after 5 minutes exposure to the substrates. The bioprobe had a broad substrate specificity and was sensitive to substrate concentrations down to 0.05 mg/L. The enzyme activity of the bioprobe was not significantly affected in a pH range from 4 to 10 and in a temperature range from 5-25⁰C. The bioprobe activity was not affected by various concentrations of salt and metal ions and the bioprobe was able to detect and semi-quantify phenolic substrates in industrial effluent samples. These features of the bioprobe indicate that the commercialisation of such a bioprobe is feasible and this technology has been patented (Patent No. SA 97/0227). / KMBT_363 / Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in

A significant trend in the modern day industrial biotechnology is the utilization and application of renewable resources, and ecofriendly approach to industrial processes and waste management. As a consequence thereof, the biotechnology of holocellulases: cellulase and xylanase and, enzymatic hydrolysis of renewable and abundant lignocellulosic biomass to energy and value added products are rapidly increasing; hence, cost effective enzyme system is imperative. In that context, exploration of microbiota for strains and enzymes with novel industrial properties is vital for efficient and commercially viable enzyme biotechnology. Consequent on the complex characteristics of high salinity, variable pressure, temperature and nutritional conditions, bacterial strains from the marine environment are equipped with enzyme machinery of industrial importance for adaptation and survival. In this study, bacterial strains were isolated form Nahoon beach and optimized for holocellulase production. Three isolates selected for lignocellulolytic potential were identified by 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) sequence analysis. Isolate FS1k had 98 percent similarity with Streptomyces albidoflavus strain AIH12, was designated as Streptomyces albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5 and deposited in the GenBank with accession number KU171373. Similarly, isolates CS14b and CS22d with respective percentage similarity of 98 and 99 (percent) with Bacillus cereus strains and Streptomyces sp. strain WMMB251 were named Bacillus cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 and Streptomyces sp. strain SAMRC-UFH6; and were deposited in the GenBank with accession number KX524510 and KU171374 respectively. Optimal pH, temperature and agitation speed for cellulase production by S. albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5, and B. cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 were 6 and 7; 40 and 30 (°C); and 100 and 150 (rpm) respectively; while xylanase production was optimal at pH, temperature and agitation speed of 8 and 7; 40 and 30 (°C); and 150 and 50 (rpm) respectively. Maximum cellulase activity of 0.26 and 0.061(U/mL) by S. albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5 and B. cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 were attained at 60 h respectively, while maximal xylanase activity of 18.54 and 16.6 (U/mL) was produced by S. albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5 and B. cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 at 48 h and 60 h respectively. Furthermore, xylanase production by S. albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5 and B. cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 was maximally induced by wheat straw and xylan respectively, while cellulase production was best induced by mannose and carboxymethyl cellulose respectively. On the other hand, cellulase and xylanase production by Streptomyces sp. strain SAMRC-UFH6 was optimal at pH, temperature and agitation speed of 7 and 8, 40 °C and 100 rpm, respectively. Highest production of cellulase and xylanase was attained at 84 and 60 h with respective activity of 0.065 and 6.34 (U/mL). In addition, cellulase and xylanase production by the strain was best induced by beechwood xylan. Moreover, xylanase produced by Streptomyces sp. strain SAMRC-UFH6 at optimal conditions was characterized by optimal pH and temperature of 8 and 80-90 °C respectively; retaining over 70 percent activity at pH 5-10 after 1 h and 60 percent of initial activity at 90 °C after 90 min of incubation. In all, optimization improved cellulase and xylanase production yields, being 40 and 95.5, 10.89 and 72.17, and 10 and 115- fold increase by S. albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5, B. cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 and Streptomyces sp. SAMRC-UFH6 respectively. The results of this study suggest that the marine bacterial strains are resource for holocellulase with industrial applications.

Alcanivorax species are gram negative bacteria that usually require aliphatic hydrocarbon as the sole carbon source for growth. The ability to use petroleum in polluted environments as energy source makes Alcanivorax species biotechnologically relevant in bioremediation. Universal stress proteins confer ability to respond to unfavourable environments, thus the present study was done to analyse the genomic context of genes for universal stress proteins in Alcanivorax genomes. A combination of bioinformatics and visual analytics approaches were used to analyze genome-enabled data including sequences and gene expression datasets. On the basis of transcription unit and adjacent genes, two types of Alcanivorax USP genes observed were (i) adjacent to cyclic nucleotide-binding and oxygen sensing functions; and (ii) adjacent to sulfate transporter function. Both types of genes encode two universal stress protein domains (pfam00582) also referred to as tandem-type universal stress proteins. The sequence and structural characteristics of each of the four USP domains in Alcanivorax needs to be further investigated. This dissertation research evaluated data from Alcanivorax borkumensis cells (grown on either pyruvate or hexadecane as carbon source) that were stressed with 1-octanol and data collected at 15 min, 30 min, 60 min and 90 min after 1-octanol addition. The two genes for Alcanivorax borkumensis SK2 universal stress proteins, ABO_1340 and ABO_1511, had the same direction of expression for adjacent genes. A limitation of this research was that findings based on bioinformatics and visual analytics methods may need confirmation by molecular methods. The differences observed may also reflect the quality of the annotations provided for genes. The sequence and structural characteristics of each of the four USP domains in Alcanivorax needs to be further investigated. Further research is needed on the relationship between number, length and order of genes in operons that include genes for universal stress proteins. Additionally, in vitro studies to confirm the functional prediction made from the genomic context of the universal stress protein in Alcanivorax genome. The knowledge discovered from this genome context analytics research could contribute to improving the performance of Alcanivorax species in bioremediation of environments polluted with petroleum / College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Science)

Made available in DSpace on 2015-06-17T19:34:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014-02-16. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-06-18T12:47:24Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000830004.pdf: 1551648 bytes, checksum: 89ba42d8f63065419374f043a3e021cb (MD5) / Diversos trabalhos atestaram que a biodegradação é responsável por alterações nos valores do do CO2, carbono inorgânico dissolvido e CH4 presente em águas subterrâneas, correspondendo a uma ferramenta de elevada relevância para estudos envolvendo dos processos de atenuação natural. A partir de um promissor método de amostragem desenvolvido no presente trabalho, foi realizada a coleta de amostras de CO2 em poços de monitoramento situados em uma área contaminada por querosene de aviação na região de Paulínia/SP. As reações de biodegradação de hidrocarbonetos atuantes na área é representada pela redução do Fe(III) e metanogênese, como indicam as elevadas concentrações de Fe(II) e CH4. Os resultados obtidos indicam que a biodegradação pode não alterar significativamente os valores naturais de do solo e águas subterrâneas, pelo grande volume de CO2 naturalmente presentes nas águas subterrâneas. Os resultados obtidos em condições laboratoriais de fracionamento em função da biodegradação podem não se expressar em condições de campo / Several studies have attested that biodegradation is responsible for changes in the values of of CO2 and dissolved inorganic carbon present in groundwater CH4, corresponding to a tool highly relevant for studies of processes involving natural attenuation. From a promising sampling method developed in the present work, the collection of samples for CO2 monitoring wells located was held on by a contaminated jet fuel area in Paulinia / SP. The reactions of hydrocarbons biodegradation active in the area is represented by a reduction of Fe (III) and methanogenesis as indicated by the high concentration of Fe (II) and CH4. The results indicate that biodegradation can not significantly change the natural values of 13 C of soil and groundwater, the large volume of CO2 present naturally in groundwater. The results obtained in laboratory conditions of fractionation as a function of biodegradation can not express themselves in field conditions

Made available in DSpace on 2014-11-10T11:09:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014-04-03Bitstream added on 2014-11-10T11:58:42Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000789425_20160403.pdf: 259313 bytes, checksum: 6f1bc912e7f1c2b4935085bdd4abb6c4 (MD5) Bitstreams deleted on 2016-04-04T12:10:28Z: 000789425_20160403.pdf,. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2016-04-04T12:11:07Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000789425.pdf: 1106669 bytes, checksum: d1b7990fdfa7067e521fbca549b67f43 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Surfactantes são moléculas anfipáticas, que devido à presença de regiões com polaridades distintas apresentam propriedades únicas como a capacidade de reduzir a tensão interfacial e superficial. Os biossurfactantes são moléculas biológicas que podem ser sintetizados por uma ampla gama de seres vivos, no entanto os produtores mais estudados são os micro-organismos. Apesar das inúmeras vantagens dos tensoativos biológicos, como baixa toxicidade, biodegradabilidade e alta estabilidade, estes compostos não são amplamente utilizados, devido ao custo de produção. Por esse motivo, o presente estudo busca a otimização da produção de ramnolipídios em biorreatores. Para tal realizou-se cultivos operados nos modos batelada e batelada alimentada. Dentre os cultivos realizados o que obteve maior produção e produtividade foi operado no modo batelada, nesse bioprocesso foram utilizados 250 g/L de óleo de soja como fonte de carbono. A produção máxima atingida foi 36,4 g/L de ramnolipídios e a produtividade 0,23 g/L.h. Além do aumento na produção desse bioproduto é importante descobrir novas aplicações para esse biotensoativo, dessa maneira o valor agregado dos ramnolipídios aumenta tornando a produção e comercialização em larga escala atraente para as industrias. Com a finalidade de agregar valor aos ramnolipídios o presente trabalho avaliou duas aplicações para esse biossurfactante. Verificou-se a influência dos ramnolipídios na germinação de sementes de alface, milho girassol e soja. Quando em contato com os surfactantes as sementes de alface tiveram sua germinação favorecida em 175,5%, porém o desenvolvimento das plântulas foi prejudicado. As sementes de milho tiveram a germinação e o desenvolvimento favorecidos nas concentrações de 0,025 e 0,05% p/v de ramnolipídios. Com relação às sementes de soja não houve influência na germinação, porém a aplicação de ramnolipídios favoreceu o... / Surfactants are amphipathic molecules that due to the presence of regions with different polarities have unique properties such as the ability to reduce the interfacial and surface tension. The biosurfactants are biological molecules that can be synthesized by a wide range of organisms, however the most studied producers are microorganisms. Despite the numerous benefits of biological surfactants, such as low toxicity, biodegradability and high stability, these compounds are not widely used because of the high production cost. For this reason, this study aims to optimize the production of rhamnolipids in bioreactors, for such was employed cultivation in batch and feed batch. The cultive that achieved the highest production and yield was a batch using 250 g/L of soybean oil as carbon source, the culture reached 36.4 g/L of rhamnolipids and 0.23 g/Lh of productivity. Beyond to increase this bioproduct production, it is important to find new applications for this biossurfactant, helping to aggregate value for them, the present study evaluated two applications for rhamnolipid. The first one evaluated the influence of rhamnolipids on seeds germination. When in contact with surfactants the lettuce seeds had their germination increased 175%, however the seedlings showed a less development, the corn seeds had their germination and seedling favored at 0,025 to 0,05 % w/v concentrations. Regarding soybean seeds there was no effect on germination but favored seedling development. In relation to sunflower seeds, both ,the development and germination, were positively influenced at all concentrations evaluated. The second application evaluated was the rhamnolipids insecticidal potential, against adults and larvae of Aedes aegypti. When used at concentrations 1000 900 800mg/L rhamnolipids eliminated all the larvae of this mosquito species in only 18h, the concentration of 1000mg / L was able to remove 100% of adults and also showed repellency against... / FAPESP: 11/15345-8

Made available in DSpace on 2014-11-10T11:09:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014-02-27Bitstream added on 2014-11-10T11:58:41Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000789652.pdf: 2579007 bytes, checksum: 2c8f83030303f58c0cc94861e2b9f6cb (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Acidentes ambientais com petróleo e derivados causam danos consideráveis ao meio ambiente, gerando uma preocupação pública enorme, que pressiona para soluções rápidas e econômicas. No Brasil, os maiores responsáveis por acidentes com hidrocarbonetos de petróleo são os postos de combustíveis devido a vazamentos acidentais e a derrames em tanques de armazenagem, os quais geralmente contêm combustíveis e óleos lubrificantes. Assim, dentre as alternativas de tratamento, a biorremediação emerge como a menos agressiva e a mais adequada para manutenção do equilíbrio ecológico. Uma melhor eficiência no tratamento biológico é conquistada adotando estratégias como a bioaumentação e a aplicação de surfactantes, cujas propriedades tensoativas aumentam a biodisponibilidade de compostos hidrofóbicos. Neste sentido, os biossurfactantes tornam-se adequados em substituir os produtos de origem sintética uma vez que possuem vantagens, tais como: maior diversidade estrutural, baixa toxicidade e alta biodegradabilidade. Apesar dos inúmeros benefícios apresentados pelos biotensoativos, eles não são comercialmente utilizados devido ao alto custo de produção. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a biodegradação do óleo lubrificante automotivo usado associado ao solo pela aplicação de diferentes soluções de surfactantes químicos e biossurfactante produzido por Pseudomonas aeruginosa LBI a partir de um resíduo agroindustrial. Também, foi analisada a eficiência do processo de biorremediação quanto: ao metabolismo microbiano, aos parâmetros físicoquímicos do solo, à ecotoxicidade do meio e à diversidade da comunidade microbiana. Inicialmente, foi demonstrado que a bactéria P. aeruginosa LBI foi capaz de produzir ramnolipídios a partir de borra de soja como única fonte de carbono. No processo de biodegradação do óleo lubrificante usado, a adição de surfactantes melhorou sua eficiência com destaque ao... / Environmental impacts with petroleum and its derivatives cause considerable damage and a huge public concern pressing for quick and economic solutions. According to alternatives treatment for hydrocarbons contamination, bioremediation represents a viable process to maintain the ecological balance. Also, a better efficiency in biological treatment is achieved by adopting strategies such as bioaugmentation and application of surfactants, whose properties increase the hydrophobic compounds bioavailability. Thereby, biosurfactants become appropriated to substitute synthetic since their advantages: high structural diversity, low toxicity and high biodegradability. Despite the many benefits presented by biosurfactants, they are not commercially used due to the high production cost. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biodegradation of waste automotive lubricant oil in soil by application of different surfactants solutions (chemical and biosurfactant produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa LBI from an agroindustrial residue). Besides, the efficiency of bioremediation process was analyzed as: microbial metabolism, physico-chemical parameters, ecotoxicity and diversity of microbial community. Initially, the results showed that P. aeruginosa LBI was able to produce rhamnolipids from soybean soapstock. In biodegradation process, surfactants and bioaugmentation improved the microbial activity. Therefore, the biological treatment increased CFU number for bacteria and fungi and it was able to reduce phytotoxic effects and heavy metals concentration in relation to original contamination. Likewise, microbial community dynamics during bioremediation set a different profile when it was compared with the initial time. However, treatments with chemical detergent had low microbial amount and high phytotoxicity even after 180 days. Thus, the combination of bioaugmentation and Tween80 or rhamnolipid applications were effective and environmentally viable... / FAPESP: 10/07539-4

No description available.

abstract: This study reports on benzene and toluene biodegradation under different dissolved oxygen conditions, and the goal of this study is to evaluate and model their removal. Benzene and toluene were tested for obligate anaerobic degradation in batch reactors with sulfate as the electron acceptor. A group of sulfate-reducing bacteria capable of toluene degradation was enriched after 252 days of incubation. Those cultures, originated from anaerobic digester, were able to degrade toluene coupled to sulfate reduction with benzene coexistence, while they were not able to utilize benzene. Methanogens also were present, although their contribution to toluene biodegradation was not defined. Aerobic biodegradation of benzene and toluene by Pseudomonas putida F1 occurred, and biomass production lagged behind substrate loss and continued after complete substrate removal. This pattern suggests that biodegradation of intermediates, rather than direct benzene and toluene transformation, caused bacterial growth. Supporting this explanation is that the calculated biomass growth from a two-step model basically fit the experimental biomass results during benzene and toluene degradation with depleted dissolved oxygen. Catechol was tested for anaerobic biodegradation in batch experiments and in a column study. Sulfate- and nitrate-reducing bacteria enriched from a wastewater treatment plant hardly degraded catechol within 20 days. However, an inoculum from a contaminated site was able to remove 90% of the initial 16.5 mg/L catechol, and Chemical Oxygen Demand was oxidized in parallel. Catechol biodegradation was inhibited when nitrite accumulated, presumably by a toxic catechol-nitrite complex. The membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) offers the potential for biodegrading benzene in a linked aerobic and anaerobic pathway by controlling the O2 delivery. At an average benzene surface loading of 1.3 g/m2-day and an average hydraulic retention time of 2.2 day, an MBfR supplied with pure O2 successfully achieved 99% benzene removal at steady state. A lower oxygen partial pressure led to decreased benzene removal, and nitrate removal increased, indicating multiple mechanisms, including oxygenation and nitrate reduction, were involved in the system being responsible for benzene removal. Microbial community analysis indicated that Comamonadaceae, a known aerobic benzene-degrader and denitrifier, dominated the biofilm at the end of operation. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Civil and Environmental Engineering 2015

Resumo: A introdução de moléculas xenobióticas no ambiente muitas vezes ocorre sem que sejam conhecidos muitos de seus aspectos bioquímicos e toxicológicos fundamentais. A presença anéis aromáticos na estrutura molecular muitas vezes é o fator determinante da toxicidade, recalcitrância e propriedades mutagênicas associadas e muitos destes compostos. O papel dos insumos agrícolas neste processo é de particular relevância, devido ao seu caráter de liberação intencional no ambiente e dos crescentes volumes aplicados em todo o mundo. Neste trabalho, foram selecionadas linhagens de basidiomicetos com base na sua tolerância aos herbicidas atrazina e diurom, para estudo detalhado do potencial de degradação e do papel desempenhado pelas enzimas ligninolíticas no processo. A tolerância não se mostrou relacionada à degradação dos xenobióticos; esta foi muito eficiente para algumas linhagens estudadas, chegando a 38% da atrazina e 96% do diurom, por MCA 17 agaricales e SXS 320 P. cubensis, respectivamente, após 20 dias de cultivo. As linhagens mais tolerantes à atrazina, Pluteus cubensis SXS 320 e Polyporus tenuiculus MCA 11, e ao diurom, Pycnoporus sanguineus MCA 16 e Dacryopinax elegans SXS 323, foram empregadas em ensaios mais detalhados para a degradação e produção de enzimas. Os efeitos de diferentes concentrações do diurom e da atrazina como única fonte de carbono ou em presença de fontes alternativas como glicose ou bagaço de cana (1%), foram determinados para os microrganismos tolerantes. Apenas Pycnoporus sanguineus MCA 16 e Polyporus tenuiculus MCA 11 produziram lacases, única enzima do sistema ligninolítico detectada nas culturas. No caso de Pycnoporus sanguineus, as lacases foram constitutivamente produzidas em meio contendo glicose, atingindo 283 U.l-1. A lacase de P. tenuiculus, por sua vez, foi produzida apenas em presença de constituintes... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The introduction of xenobiotic molecules in the environment often occurs without the knowledge about many basic aspects related to biochemistry and toxicology. The aromatic ring presence in their molecular structure many times is the determinant feature for toxicity, recalcitrance and mutagenic properties associated with those compounds. The role of agricultural chemicals in this process has particular relevance, due to their intentional release on environment and the crescent volumes employed worldwide. In this work, basidiomycete strains were chosen based on their tolerance to herbicides atrazine and diuron, for detailed study of the fungi's degradative potential and the role developed by ligninolytic enzymes in this process. The tolerance was not related to xenobiotic's degradation, which was very efficient for many strains, reaching 38% for atrazine and 96% for diuron, by MCA 17 Agaricales and SXS 320 Pluteus cubensis, respectively, after 20 days in culture. Those ones more tolerant to atrazine, Pluteus cubensis SXS 320 and Polyporus tenuiculus MCA 11, and for diuron, Pycnoporus sanguineus MCA 16 and Dacryopinax elegans SXS 323, were employed in assays focusing on degradation and enzyme production. The effect of different concentrations of diuron and atrazine as sole carbon source or in presence of alternative sources, like glucose and sugarcane bagasse (1%), were determined for tolerant microorganisms. Only Pycnoporus sanguineus MCA 16 and Polyporus tenuiculus MCA 11 have produced laccases, the unique enzyme of ligninolytic system detected in cultures. For Pycnoporus sanguineus, the laccases were constitutively produced in medium containing glucose, reaching 238 U.l-1. The laccase from P. tenuiculus was released only with the presence of lignocellulosic constituents in culture medium, resulting in 1,219 U.l-1 in medium containing wheat bran. The biochemical properties... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Orientador: Eleni gomes / Coorientador: Mauricio Boscolo / Banca: Lucia Regina Durrant / Banca: Caroline Henn / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-08-25Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:56:25Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 oliveira_dm_me_rcla.pdf: 453316 bytes, checksum: bb92218b6015fc38766c9207299c3f70 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Isolou-se uma cepa de levedura do tratamento biológico do efluente da Refinaria de Paulínia – SP. Esta levedura foi submetida a alguns ensaios preliminares e mostrou-se capaz de biodegradar lipídios vegetais, gorduras animais e hidrocarbonetos. Diante destas características metabólicas providenciou-se a sua taxonomia resultando após análise molecular do genoma na espécie Candida viswanathii. Pelas suas propriedades hidrolíticas, procurou-se verificar nesta pesquisa a sua capacidade da em degradar biodiesel de origem animal, mediante o emprego do método respirométrico de Bartha e Pramer. Como suporte para esta avaliação utilizou-se solo arenoso, pH 4,0, 8,0g/dm3 de matéria orgânica, coletado na Estação Ecológica de Itirapina, coordenadas geográficas (S 21°13’V e 0 47º 49’W). Procurou-se avaliar a capacidade de biodegradar biodiesel desta levedura com a quantidade de água sugerida no próprio método de respirometria isto é, de 70% da capacidade de campo (CC) e com quantidade adicional para 90% da CC. Constatou-se nos experimentos realizados que capacidade de campo diminui a eficiência da respirometria no tratamento em que havia biodiesel e o solo apresentava 90% da CC. Nos tratamentos com levedura e biodiesel tanto em 70 como 90% da CC houve maior evolução de CO2. Comparando-se os ensaios com biodiesel e adição da levedura, verificou-se que na ausência da C. viswanathii a produção de CO2 foi 4% menor. Nos tratamentos em que apenas o biodiesel foi acrescentado verificou-se que a microbiota autóctone do solo também promove a biodegradação e conseqüente biorremediação indicando que, mesmo os microrganismos existentes no solo possuem a capacidade de degradar biodiesel e promover a biorremediação. / A stream of yeast was isolated from biological treatment of effluent from the refinery in Paulinia - SP. This yeast has been subjected to some preliminary tests and was capable of biodegradability vegetable oil, animal fat and hydrocarbon. Facing these metabolic characteristics, has provided its taxonomy and after molecular analysis of the genome resulted in Candida viswanathii species. For its hydrolytic properties, this research tried to verify its ability to degrade biodiesel from animal fat, by the use of the of Bartha and Pramer’s respirometry method. As support for this research, was utilized a sandy soil, pH 4,0; 8,0 g/dm3 of organic material, collected from Itirapina’s Ecologic Station, geographic co-ordinates (S 21° 13’V and 0 47º 49’W). C. viswanathii was isolated from oil refinery effluent after biological treatment. The research evaluated the yeast’s capacity of biodiesel degradation with the same quantity of water suggested by respirometric method, which means, at 70% of field capacity (FC) and with additional quantity to 90% of FC. It was found on the control experiments realized that the respirometric’s efficiency was lower in the treatment with biodiesel and the soil was 90% of FC (with more quantity of water). On treatments those containing the yeast and biodiesel, either at 70 or 90% FC there were more production of CO2. Comparing the treatments with biodiesel and yeast’s addition, it was found that the production of CO2 decreases 4% in the yeast absence. On treatments where only biodiesel was added it was observed that the soil’s autochthon microbiota also promoted the biodegradation and consequent bioremediation. This result indicates that even microorganisms from soil have the capacity to degrade biodiesel and promote the bioremediation of contaminated areas.