Thesis (M.S.)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2007. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: William P. Inskeep. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-94).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 145-160).

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Thesis (Ph.D.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Forest Products. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

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Thesis (MTech (Food Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007 / The olive industry in South Africa, although small compared to the rest of the world, is rapidly expanding and producing increased volumes of wastewater on an annual basis that could in future develop into a major environmental problem. Olive mill wastewater (OMWW) and table olive wastewater (TOWW) are characterised by high chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD) and phenolic content that are toxic to the environment. Due to the nature of olive wastewater (OWW), its irresponsible and unregulated environmental release will result in oxygen depletion, nutrient enrichment and accumulation of toxic compounds in receiving water bodies that ultimately disrupts aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. An estimated 3500 - 4500 tons of olives are processed on an annual basis by 51 farmers .in the Western Cape. Economic forecasts predict a steady growth, i.e. increased production and processing of olives in the South African olive industry, in the future due to consumer demand. These production increases will consequently lead to increased volumes of wastewater production, which would, in tum, require an expansion of treatment capacity of the wastewater prior to release. Two South African olive factories were chosen for this study: Buffet Olives, situated in Dal Josefat (Paarl), that produces table olives and Vesuvio Estate on Sorento farm (Wellington) that produce extra-virgin olive oil. Preliminary COD determinations showed that indigenous OWW biofilms within a rotating biological contactor set-up reduced the COD from TOWW and OMWW by 47% and 32%, respectively, over a l0-day period. These preliminary results strongly suggested that biofilms indigenous to OWW have the potential to remediate the pollution problems of OWW. However, the overall aim of this study was to determine how sustainable the application of indigenous biofilms in the OWW are over two production seasons and whether it would be feasible to apply and develop these naturally occurring biofilms as an effective bioremediation tool to reduce the COD and polyphenol content of OWW.

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Microbiology and Plant Pathology / unrestricted

The investigation presented in this thesis examined the microbial and functional diversity of the meltwater ponds Fresh, Orange and Salt Ponds on the McMurdo Ice Shelf, near Bratina Island, Antarctica. These sites were chosen because of the ecological importance and absence of detailed characterisations of their diversity and function as part of Antarctica?s largest wetland. Particular focus was on cyanobacterial diversity, nitrogen fixation and secondary metabolite production. Using 16S rRNA gene and morphological analysis a large diversity of cyanobacteria (more than 22 phylotypes) was identified with high phylogenetic similarities (up to 99% sequence identity) to cyanobacteria from mats in other regions of Antarctica. In addition biogeographical distributions were identified including potentially endemic and cosmopolitan cyanobacteria. High salinities were also connected to the change and reduction of diversity. Lipid marker analyses were performed targeting hydrocarbons, ether-linked hydrocarbons, methylated fatty acid esters (FAME), wax esters, hopanols and sterols. Lipid biomarker profiles were similar to typical cyanobacteria dominated mats with major input from microorganisms including oxygenic and anoxygenic phototrophs, obligate aerobic and anaerobic heterotrophs that conduct the metabolic processes of fermentation, sulphate reduction, sulphate and iron-oxidation, methanogeneses. Signature lipids indicative of Chloroflexus and archaea, as well as branched aliphatic alkanes with quaternary substituted carbon atoms (BAQCs), were identified for the first time in Fresh, Orange and Salt Ponds. Based on nifH gene analysis, the nitrogen fixing diversity characterised in Orange Pond consisted of cyanobacterial Nostoc sp. as well as firmicutes, beta-, gamma- and delta-proteobacteria. Acetylene reduction assays and nifH gene RNA transcript diversity identified Nostoc sp. as a main contributor of nitrogenase activity in these ponds. Furthermore, analytical methods were used to identify the cyanobacterial secondary metabolites microcystins, although the genetic basis for this production and the toxin producer could not been identified. However non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS) and polyketide synthases (PKS) genes were identified which could be the genetic basis for novel bioactives. The use of a multi-disciplinary approach synthesis and subsequent results significantly increased our understanding of the diversity and function of microbial mat communities in the unique meltwater ponds of the McMurdo Ice shelf, Antarctica.