Publication

Abstract : Conventional biological treatment of industrial waste generates large quantity of cheap bacterial biomass. The processing and disposal of such biomass which is commonly known as waste activated sludge, accounts for about 60% of treatment plant O&M cost. In such scenario, a different form of biomass and its byproducts with a higher value has the potential to significantly improve the waste management economics in turn making a behavioral change in the industrial people towards waste management. Fungi could offer this profit over bacteria in waste management and treatment processes. The biomass and byproducts produced by fungi during waste treatment are better valorized than that from the bacterial mediated or by other conventional processes. Fungi can be used to produce valuable enzymes as well as better proteins. Several high-value biofuels, and biochemicals are produced by industrial cultivation of fungi using industrial waste as substrates. Processing of waste from dairy, sugarcane, tanning, oil, cotton, bio-ethanol, agro, marine, and poultry industries is an attractive alternative as a source of low-cost organics and nutrients to valorize waste into fungal products with concomitant waste treatment. This chapter summarizes various findings in fungal based industrial waste treatment, particularly focusing on recovering valorized byproducts. Keywords: Industrial waste; Valorized products; Fungi; Waste management