초록
<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>This work demonstrates that cork used as oil-spill sorbents, contaminated with liquid hydrocarbons, herein demonstrated with hexadecane, can be biologically treated by <I>Rhodococcus opacus</I> B4 with concomitant lipids production. <I>R</I>. <I>opacus</I> B4 consumed up to 96% of hexadecane (C16) impregnated in natural and regranulated cork sorbents after 48h incubation, producing 0.59±0.06g of triacylglycerol (TAG) g<SUP>−1</SUP> of C16 consumed with a TAG content of 0.60±0.06gg<SUP>−1</SUP> of cellular dry weight (CDW) and 0.54±0.05g TAG g<SUP>−1</SUP> of C16 consumed with a TAG content of 0.77±0.04gg<SUP>−1</SUP> (CDW), respectively. TAG was mainly composed by fatty acids of 16 and 18 carbon chains demonstrating the feasibility of using it as raw material for biodiesel production. In addition, the obtained lipid-rich biomass (whole cells) can be used for biomethane production, at a yield of 0.4L CH<SUB>4</SUB> g<SUP>−1</SUP> (CDW).</P> <P>The obtained results support a novel approach for management of oil-spill contaminated cork sorbents through its valorisation by producing bacterial lipids, which can be used as feedstocks for biofuels production.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Hydrocarbon-contaminated cork sorbents are conventionally submitted to costly hazardous wastes treatments. </LI> <LI> <I>Rhodococcus opacus</I> B4 was able to efficiently treat hexadecane-contaminated cork wastes with concomitant lipids production. </LI> <LI> Triacylglycerol (TAG) was the main neutral lipid produced and palmitic acid was the predominant fatty acid present. </LI> <LI> Produced lipid-rich biomass can be used as feedstocks for biofuels production. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>