In the wake of ever more occurring and evident consequences brought by climate change such as droughts and an increasing world population, a responsible use and handling of freshwater has never been as important as before. Stormwater is more than often not treated and simply released back in nature with any kind of pollution it has collected on its way, one of which being heavy metals. By treating stormwater not only would this underutilised resource be made use of, creating a new source of freshwater, but environmental pollution caused by untreated stormwater could be potentially decreased, as it can be converted into a potential resource rather than a waste caused by nature. There are a number of already established methods to lower the concentration of heavy metals in water, however there are inherent economical and practical disadvantages with each of them. A method that has shown promising results with potential to challenge these contemporary solutions is biosorption. This study has explored the use of fungal biomass of Rhizopus oryzae for heavy metal biosorption in conjuncture with an organic filler material. The metals investigated were Zn, Cu and Fe. Moreover, the effects of pre-treating the fungal biomass with primarily NaOH were also investigated together with the optimal ratio between biomass and filler material and retention time, in order to maximise biosorption.Pre-treating the fungal biomass with NaOH resulted in a considerable increase in biosorption. Moreover, the presence of the filler material had a positive impact on biosorption by further enhancing it. The best effect was obtained at a 4:1 ratio between biomass and filler material. Finally, the best retention time was determined to be around 2 hours, slowly levelling off at higher retention times. However, the use of pre-treated R. oryzae with filler material did not prove to be efficient regarding the removal of heavy metal ions in stormwater at very low concentration of metals, between approximately 4 to 10 ppb. In the future, it would be worthwhile to investigate the viability of this method on stormwater with higher metal concentrations as well as looking into the effects of pH and temperature. / Som en påföljd av de konsekvenser som klimatförändringen har orsakat, som till exempel svåra torkor tillsammans med en ökande världsbefolkning, har det blivit av allt större vikt att hanteringen av sötvatten sker på ett mer ansvarsfullt och hållbart sätt. Stormvatten brukar inte behandlas överhuvudtaget utan släpps tillbaka i miljön tillsammans med föroreningarna som det samlat på sig under sin väg, bland annat tungmetaller.Det finns redan ett antal metoder för att minska koncentrationen av tungmetaller i vatten, dock inte utan ekonomiska och praktiska svårigheter. Hur som helst så har det forskats en del kring en relativt ny metod som har tidigare visat goda resultat och skulle kunna konkurrera med befintliga lösningar, nämligen biosorption. I denna studie har man utforskat möjligheten att använda svampen Rhizopus oryzae tillsammans med ett organiskt fyllmedelsmaterial för biosorptionen av tungmetaller i stormvatten. De tungmetaller som undersöktes var Zn, Cu och Fe. Dessutom har man undersökt effekterna av ett förbehandlingssteg hos biomassan med NaOH tillsammans med det optimala förhållandet mellan biomassan och fyllemedelsmaterialet och retentionstiden för att maximera biosorptionen. Förbehandlingssteget visade en markant förbättring av biosorptionen. Fyllemedelsmaterialet hade för övrigt också en positiv inverkan genom att ytterligare öka biosorptionen. Ett 4:1 förhållande mellan biomassan och fyllemedelsmaterialet resulterade i det optimala förhållandet för komponenterna med tanke på biosorptionen. För retentionstiden visade det sig de bästa resultaten erhålles vid 2 timmar i lösningen. Emellertid visade det sig att användningen av den förbehandlade svampen tillsammans med fyllemedelsmaterialet inte var effektivt på stormvatten med en väldig låg tungmetallkoncentration, ungefär mellan 4 till 10 ppb. I framtiden skulle det vara intressant att undersöka inte bara metodens genomförbarhet på stormvatten med högre metallkoncentrationer, utan även hur pH-värde samt temperatur kan påverka resultaten.

Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2017-08-18T12:24:44Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) DissertaçãoPPGBF_MarinaAraújo__VF_2016_MA.pdf: 3564525 bytes, checksum: 787b002a72b4c3884e6c55f35a8f508d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-18T12:24:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) DissertaçãoPPGBF_MarinaAraújo__VF_2016_MA.pdf: 3564525 bytes, checksum: 787b002a72b4c3884e6c55f35a8f508d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-17 / CNPQ / Os fragmentos de Mata Atlântica do Nordeste brasileiro representam um abrigo para a diversidade de espécies e a redução de vários hectares de mata ao longo dos anos gera perda de diversidade, principalmente, da micobiota microscópica associada a esses ambientes. O desenvolvimento rural sustentável necessita de práticas menos agressivas ao ambiente e, dessa forma, os Sistemas Agroflorestais (SAFs), pela semelhança aos ecossistemas naturais em estrutura e diversidade, têm papel de destaque como alternativa para produção agrícola. Os ambientes de mata, assim como os SAFs, além de fornecerem diferentes substratos para a colonização fúngica, propiciam um ambiente com calor e umidade essenciais para o desenvolvimento de fungos. A micobiota microscópica em folhas em decomposição é composta principalmente por fungos conidiais. Esses fungos exibem grande diversidade de formas e adaptações, estando entre os principais decompositores da matéria orgânica. Dessa forma, o presente trabalho teve por objetivo realizar um estudo de diversidade de fungos conidiais e biomassa fúngica em folhedo de sistema agroflorestal, comparando-o com um fragmento de Mata Atlântica, na região Norte de Pernambuco. Coletas bimestrais foram realizadas na Mata Atlântica nativa de Monjope e no Sítio São João – Sistema agroflorestal (ambos em Abreu e Lima - PE), entre agosto de 2014 e maio de 2015. As amostras de folhedo foram submetidas à técnica de lavagem em água corrente, colocados em câmaras-úmidas e incubados em temperatura ambiente por um período de 45 dias, sendo observados diariamente sob estereomicroscópio. Lâminas semi-permanentes e permanentes foram confeccionadas com as estruturas reprodutivas para a identificação morfológica dos espécimes. As lâminas foram depositadas no Herbário URM da UFPE. A análise da biomassa de fungos no folhedo foi realizada pelo método de quantificação do ergosterol e a relação entre o teor de ergosterol e a ocorrência de fungos conidiais foi determinada. Foram registradas ocorrências de 65 táxons de fungos conidiais, incluindo uma nova espécie (Selenodriella amoena) e uma nova ocorrência para a América do Sul (Linodochium sideroxyli). A concentração de ergosterol foi diferente entre as duas áreas estudadas nos meses de out./14, jan./15 e maio/15, sendo maior no SAF em todos os períodos. O teor de ergosterol da biomassa de fungos no folhedo, em ambas as áreas, possui forte correlação com a ocorrência dos fungos conidiais. Este estudo contribui para ampliar o conhecimento da diversidade de fungos conidiais presentes em folhedo em Pernambuco. / The Brazilian Northeast Atlantic Forest fragments represent a refuge for species diversity and the reduction of several hectares of forest over the years generates loss of diversity, especially microscopic mycobiota associated with these environments. Sustainable rural development requires less aggressive practices to the environment and thus agroforestry systems (AFS), with their similarity to natural ecosystems in structure and diversity, have an important role as an alternative for agricultural production. The forest environments, as well as the SAF’s, provide various substrates for fungal colonization and an environment with heat and humidity essential for the development of fungi. Microscopic mycobiota in decaying leaves is mainly composed of conidial fungi. These fungi exhibit great diversity of shapes and adaptations, being among the major decomposers of organic matter. Thus, this study aimed to investigate conidial fungal diversity and fungal biomass in leaf litter of agroforestry system by comparing it with a fragment of Atlantic Forest in the northern region of Pernambuco. Every two months, samples were taken in the Monjope native Atlantic Forest and Sítio São João - Agroforestry system (both in Abreu e Lima - PE) between August 2014 and May 2015. The litter samples were submitted to the washing technique in running water, placed in humid chambers, and incubated at room temperature for a period of 45 days and observed daily under a stereomicroscope. Semi-permanent and permanent slides were prepared with the reproductive structures for morphological identification of specimens. The slides were deposited in the Herbarium URM UFPE. Analysis of the fungal biomass in leaf litter was carried out using the quantification of ergosterol and the relationship between the ergosterol content and the presence of fungal conidia was determined. The occurrence of 65 taxa of conidial fungi was recorded, including a new species (Selenodriella amoena) and a new record for South America (Linodochium sideroxyli). The concentration of ergosterol was different between the two study areas in the months of Oct. / 14, Jan. / 15 and May / 15, being higher in the SAF in all periods. The ergosterol content of the fungal biomass in leaf litter in both areas has strong correlation with the occurrence of conidial fungi. This study contributes to the understanding of the diversity of conidial fungi present in litter in Pernambuco.

Submitted by Irene Nascimento (irene.kessia@ufpe.br) on 2017-07-17T18:32:04Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) Dissertação (Marcela) -30-01-2017-Corrigida-final -.pdf: 2307445 bytes, checksum: aa95c996c63ff24561a5b4cdf558b62c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-17T18:32:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) Dissertação (Marcela) -30-01-2017-Corrigida-final -.pdf: 2307445 bytes, checksum: aa95c996c63ff24561a5b4cdf558b62c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-03-13 / CNPQ / A exploração mineral é considerada como uma das atividades que mais degradam o meio ambiente, considerando os diversos impactos que gera. Técnicas moleculares, que têm grande potencial para estudos de diversidade de fungos, podem ser utilizadas para monitorar impactos ambientais e recuperação de áreas degradadas. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar molecularmente as comunidades microbianas do solo de áreas nativa e mineradas e suas implicações na dinâmica da regeneração da vegetação de dunas litorâneas. Foram analisados os solos no período de estiagem e de chuva dos anos de 2009, 2010, 2011 e 2012 em seis áreas: duas matas de restinga controle e uma restinga arbustiva (matas naturais) e três dunas revegetadas (em 1989, 2001 e 2009). Foram feitas análises pela técnica de DGGE das comunidades de bactérias e fungos e pelo método de quantificação do ergosterol foi analisada a biomassa de fungos. Observou-se que a concentração de ergosterol no período de chuva foi maior em relação ao período de estiagem em todas as áreas de coleta. A comunidade de bactérias não apresentou diferenças significativas na diversidade, porém, a comunidade de fungos apresentou mudanças, com incremento do número de bandas 84 para 268 ao longo do estudo. O uso do solo de cobertura nas áreas mineradas proporciona boas condições para a recuperação da microbiota, porém, isso ocorre em função do tempo de revegetação. Conforme evidenciam as análises da biomassa de fungos e da estrutura molecular das comunidades microbianas evidenciaram isso. / Mineral exploitation is regarded as one of the activities that mostly degrade the environment, considering the different impacts it generates. Molecular techniques, which have great potential for studies of fungal diversity, can be used to monitor environmental impacts and reclamation. This study aimed to molecularly assess soil microbial communities of cover soil of native and mined areas and their implications on the dynamics of regeneration of the vegetation of coastal dunes. Soils were analyzed during the dry and rainy seasons of the years 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 in six areas: two forests and one shrub Restinga (natural forests) and three revegetated dunes (in 1989, 2001 and 2009). DGGE analyzes of the bacterial and fungal communities were performed and the quantification of ergosterol was carried out to access fungal biomass. It was observed that the concentration of ergosterol in the rainy season was higher than in the dry season in all sampling areas. The bacterial community showed no significant differences in diversity, however, the fungal community showed significant changes, with the increase of the number of DGGE bands from 84 to 268 throughout the study. The use of the cover soil in mined areas promotes good conditions for the recovery of soil microbial communities; however, recovery happens over time along with revegetation. Analyzes of the fungal biomass and the molecular structure of microbial communities showed that.

Stream ecosystems can be influenced by cattle grazing in the riparian zone due to sediment input, nutrient loading, and soil compaction, which lead to alterations of macroinvertebrate and microbial activity. Recently government programs, such as the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), have provided funding for farmers to exclude cattle from streams and riparian zones. Funding for CREP is limited and does not allow for post exclusion assessment. The objectives for this study were; 1) to explore whether CREP and other cattle exclusion initiatives help restore functional integrity to streams; 2) and if they do, to evaluate the time required for integrity to be restored. I predicted leaf processing (a fundamental ecosystem level function) in streams would be influenced by excluding cattle from the riparian zone due to changes in nutrient availability, sediment abundance, shredding macroinvertebrates, and microbial activity. I tested this prediction by measuring leaf processing at sites that had cattle excluded for <1 to 15 years. Breakdown rates did not correspond linearly to time since cattle exclusion. This was probably due to the opposing effects of elevated sediment versus nutrients on leaf breakdown at recently grazed sites. Leaf breakdown and shredder density were strongly correlated with riparian vegetation density. This study suggests that in addition to cattle exclusion, reforestation of woody riparian vegetation may be essential to restore functional integrity to agricultural streams. / Master of Science

Mountaintop removal and valley fill (MTRVF) mining has become a widespread means of coal extraction in the central Appalachians. During MTRVF several hundred meters of overburden are removed to access coal seams, and excess rubble is dumped into adjoining valleys and streams. Filling valleys eliminates stream headwaters and may result in loss of stream ecosystem functions, which are dependent on temporal and lateral connectivity in river networks. To determine the affect of MTRVF on stream ecosystem function, leaf breakdown, which is an ecosystem level attribute of forested streams, was measured in five streams draining MTRVF sites and five reference streams in central West Virginia. Leaf packs of white oak and red maple were installed in these streams in December 2007, leaves were collected in January, February, March, April, and June of 2008, and leaves were washed and processed in the lab. Leaf breakdown rates were significantly slower in filled streams. MTRVF streams were marked by high sediment levels, elevated base flow, elevated conductivity and pH, and a lower density and richness of shredding macroinvertebrates than reference sites, suggesting that slower leaf decay was the result of the combined set of altered conditions in MTRVF streams. Additionally, MTRVF streams showed no species-level difference between red maple and white oak breakdown rates, indicating that MTRVF inhibits control of ecosystem function exerted by leaf species characteristics. / Master of Science

Single cell proteins such as that of edible filamentous fungal biomass are considered as a promising sustainable source of animal feed supplementation. Filamentous fungi can be cultivated on different organic substrates including volatile fatty acids (VFAs) such as acetic, propionic, and butyric acids. These VFAs can be generated through the famous waste valorisation approach of anaerobic digestion (AD) as intermediate metabolites. This project investigates a sustainable approach for the production of animal feed supplementation through cultivation of fungal biomass on waste derived VFAs along with the in vitro analysis of fungal biomass digestibility as ruminant feed. In this regard, optimum conditions for the production of Aspergillus oryzae biomass on different VFAs effluents derived from anaerobic digestion process of food waste plus chicken manure (FWCKM) and potato protein liquor (PPL) at different pH, nitrogen sources, and feed mixture was studied. Accordingly, analyses showed that PPL has the highest biomass yield with 0.4 (g biomass/g consumed VFAs) based on the volatile solids (VS) by adjusting pH to 6.2. Furthermore, the digestibility of the produced fungal biomass is analysed by using three different in vitro digestion methods including Tilley and Terry (TT) method, Gas Production Method (GPM), and Nylon Bag Method (NBM) and the results are compared with the conventional feed (silage and rapeseed meal). Results obtained from different digestibility methods illustrate that different A. oryzae fungal biomass had approximately 10-15 % higher dry matter digestibility fraction compared to silage and rapeseed meal (reference feeds). Hence, these results revealed that A. oryzae fungal biomass can grow on VFAs effluents and produce protein-rich fungal biomass while this biomass has better digestibility compared to conventional feeds and confirmed the initial hypothesis of the study.

Vegetable oil is more difficult to degrade by microorganisms in comparison to carbohydrates and protein. Thus, it creates serious environmental and health concerns if oil-derived waste streams produced by restaurants and industries remain untreated. In this study, a strategy has been developed to grow filamentous fungi in pure olive oil so that it can be used as a bench-mark for growth in olive oil mill sidestreams. The growth of different strains (Aspergillus oryzae, Neurospora intermedia and Rhizopus oryzae) was tested in pure olive oil. A pre-germination stage using glucose as carbon and energy source, or the addition of yeast extract, were found necessary for successful fungal growth in olive oil. Here, A. oryzae showed a superior performance in comparison to N. intermedia and R. oryzae. Medium pH did not impact A. oryzae growth in olive oil, whereas a concentration higher than 40 g/L of the latter impaired the growth of the ascomycete. Obtained biomasses from A. oryzae and N. intermedia cultivations in olive oil were analyzed and compared for protein, fat, ash, and alkali-insoluble material (cell wall content), where the presence of olive oil had a steering effect. The fungal biomass of A. oryzae, obtained from cultivation in the absence of olive oil, contained 0.33% fat and 48% protein, whereas the respective values in the presence of olive oil were 31% and 14%. Similar trends on fat and protein contents were observed for the biomass of N. intermedia. Sudan black staining was also performed on fresh biomass which clearly indicated the presence of oil globules inside the fungal cells. This research can be a fundamental step towards treatment of oil-based waste streams, which entails high-energy and costs if treated, or environmental impacts during informal discharges. Moreover, the fact that the composition of fungal biomass can be steered through addition of olive oil increases the versatility of the originated biomass for various applications, namely in feed, food and biofuel production.

Microbial diversity plays an important role in the decomposition of soil organic matter. However, the drivers of this dependence still remain unclear. The work is based on long-term monitoring of soils of different successional stages of different diversity. Soil sampling was conducted on two dumps after brown coal mining in the Sokolov. Soils were X ray sterilized and inoculated by inoculum from both soils in two inoculation density which create gradient of microbial diversity. Then microbial respiration was measured in either supplied or not supplied by litter of Calamagrostis epigejos. Results showed a strong positive correlation between the microbial diversity and decomposition of organic matter if the microbial community is limited by available carbon. If there isn't carbon limit available, the decomposition rate is controlled by the amount of microbial biomass. Results demonstrated positive correlation between the rate of decomposition and the amount of fungal biomass. The soils with the addition of leaf litter showed priming effect in the initial stage of decomposition. In the control samples without addition of litter priming effect wasn't observed. Increasing humidity led to increase of decomposition rate. We can conclude with a clear conscience that similarly conclusive results associated...

As agrarian society developed, the most fertile soils able to sustain the nutritional requirements needed for high crop yield were assigned to farming, while the more penurious soils were left to uphold the forest ecosystems. Some temperate forests are developed on acidic soils considered to be nutrient poor, as much of the inorganic nutrients are entrapped in poorly weatherable soil minerals and not easily accessed by plant roots. In an undisturbed ecosystem, the largest contribution of available nutrients comes from the recycling of organically bound nutrients via the decomposition of dead plant material. If biomass is removed, for instance with a more intensified exploitation of the forest ecosystems including whole tree harvesting, this source of nutrients is consequently decreased. The importance of soil mineral weathering as a source of nutrients, and especially that promoted by soil biota, is thereby emphasized. This thesis addresses biotic parameters associated with mineral weathering. Different aspects of soil solution sampling strategies and analysis of different organic ligands as well as biomarkers for the estimation of fungal biomass were investigated. These chemical parameters were also evaluated as indicators of microbial activity in relation to mineral nutrient availability in soil. With the assumption that the current nutrient status of a soil will affect the microbial interest of certain minerals as sources of inorganic nutrients, a mineral amendment trial was performed in a Swedish boreal forest soil. Overall, the amended soil presented good nutrient status, but with a possible shortage of iron. Due to this, it was hypothesized that the amended mineral with the highest iron content i.e. biotite would cause an elevation of microbial activity in its vicinity when compared to the bulk soil. The level of microbial activity in the vicinity of the amended minerals was evaluated via quantification of organic acids and siderophores, as well as estimation of fungal biomass and enzymatic activity. The highest microbial activity was measured for the O horizon of the investigated podzol, although nothing indicated an elevated association with the amended minerals. In the E horizon, however, elevation in microbial activity was observed in the vicinity of the biotite mineral when compared with bulk soil, although only a few of the investigated parameters differed significantly when evaluated separately.   To enable this study, a highly sensitive analytical method employing liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry was developed to quantify a number of hydroxamate siderophores. On-line pre-concentration enabled detection of these organic ligands in the pico-molar range – a necessity when analyzing natural samples. Furthermore, an analytical method was developed for the estimation of fungal biomass via quantification of chitin-derived glucosamine, which also employed liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Unlike currently available methods, the one presented in this thesis did not involve analyte derivatization, which resulted in high sample throughput while simultaneously avoiding complications involved with the additional derivatization procedure. The distribution of a group of organic ligands known as aromatic low molecular mass organic acids was also studied in a boreal forest podzol soil. Different sampling and samples preparation techniques, namely tension-lysimeters, soil centrifugation and liquid-soil extraction, were compared when analyzing soil solution components. Significant differences in analyte amount and species type were found between these sampling techniques. Some of the differences could be accounted for by variation in soil composition at different depths of the investigated podzol, but others could be attributed to structural differences within the studied analyte group. This clearly illustrated the intricacy of sampling and analysis when working with a sample matrix as complex and diverse as soil. As previously, liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry was used to quantify the analytes of interest. A highly sensitive analytical method was developed that was able to detect eleven aromatic low molecular mass organic acids in the nano-molar range. High selectivity was ensured by applying multiple reaction monitoring enabled by collision induced fragmentation of the analytes. / FORE

Orientador: Crispin Humberto Garcia Cruz / Banca: Eleni Gomes / Banca: Roberto Alves de Oliveira / Resumo: Os polímeros microbianos extracelulares (exo-biopolímeros) são moléculas que apresentam um grande potencial de aplicação nas indústrias de alimentos, farmacêuticas, petrolíferas, de cosméticos, têxteis, de papéis, tintas, produtos agrícolas entre outras. Como biorremediadores, podem ser utilizados na remoção de metais pesados em ambientes aquáticos poluídos, atuando como agentes de biossorção por meio da acumulação de nutrientes a partir do meio ambiente. O objetivo do trabalho foi a produção de exobiopolímeros a partir de três Ascomicetos endofíticos (Colletotrichum sp., Guignardia sp. e Phomopsis sp.). Foi selecionado o fungo que apresentou a maior produção desse material biológico. Tanto esse exo-biopolímero quanto a biomassa foram avaliados quanto aos seus potenciais de biossorção dos íons metálicos chumbo (Pb+2) e cádmio (Cd+2). Para a obtenção do meio de cultivo utilizado para a produção de exo-biopolímeros, foram testados o meio mínimo de sais de Vogel modificado com diferentes fontes de nitrogênio definidas e glicose como única fonte de carbono. Em seguida, foi realizado um planejamento fatorial 3(3-0) com 27 experimentos em duplicata, onde as variáveis independentes foram o tempo, temperatura de cultivo e a concentração inicial de glicose. O fungo Colletotrichum sp. apresentou a maior produção de exo-biopolímero (5,71 gL-1) utilizando a uréia como fonte de nitrogênio, em cultivo a 28 ºC, 150 rpm e glicose 6 % (p/v) em 192 horas de cultivo. A execução do planejamento fatorial demonstrou que a produção de biomassa seca foi favorecida por faixas de temperatura e concentração inicial de glicose entre 24 e 32 ºC e 35 e 75 gL-1, respectivamente. A produção de exo-biopolímero foi favorecida por faixas de temperatura e concentração... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The microbial extracellular polymer (exo-biopolymers) are molecules that have a great potential for application in the industries of food, pharmaceutical, oil, cosmetics, textiles, paper, paints, agricultural products and others. As bioremediation, can be used in the removal of heavy metals in polluted aquatic environments, acting as agents of bioremediation through the accumulation of nutrients from the environment. Objective of this study was to produce exo-biopolymer from three endophytic Ascomycota (Colletotrichum sp., Guignardia sp. and Phomopsis sp.). Then, was selected the fungus that showed the highest production of exobiopolymer. Both the exo-biopolymer and biomass were assessed for their potential of biosorption of metallic ions lead (Pb+2) and cadmium (Cd+2). To obtain the culture medium used for the production of exo-biopolymers, was tested a minimal medium salts of Vogel modified with different nitrogen sources and glucose defined as the only carbon source. Next, was performed a factorial design 3(3-0) with 27 experiments in duplicate, where the independent variables were the time and temperature of cultivation and the initial concentration of glucose. Colletotrichum sp. had the highest production of exo-biopolymer (5.71 gL-1) using urea as the nitrogen source in cultivation at 28 ºC, 150 rpm, and glucose 6% (w/v) in 192 hours of culture. The implementation of the factorial design showed that the dry biomass production was enhanced by a range of temperatures and initial concentration of glucose between 24 and 32 ºC and 35 and 75 gL-1, respectively. The production of exobiopolymer was favored by a range of temperatures and initial concentration of glucose between 24 and 36 ºC and 35 and 70 gL-1, respectively. In the experiment, the fungus Colletotrichum sp. produced 6.11 gL-1 of... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre