Avaliação da capacidade de cepa de acidobacteria ab23 na transformação biológica de resíduos gerados da cultura do café

Abstract

Global coffee farming, with Brazil as the main producer and exporter, poses sustainability challenges due to the significant amount of waste produced. The husk and other by-products account for about 90% of the fruit. Improper disposal of these materials causes environmental contamination due to the presence of caffeine and phenolic compounds, unbalancing the soil and water microbiota. The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth of Acidobacteria AB23 using honeycomb and parchment as the sole source of carbon, its toxicity, and its ability to degrade cellulose. In this study, the Acidobacteria AB23 strain was used, a microorganism abundant in the Cerrado, known for its ability to degrade cellulose and hemicellulose, the main components of coffee waste, through the action of glycoside hydrolase enzyms. The results showed that the residue was not toxic to the growth of Acidobacteria, and compared to the positive control (xylan), growth in culture medium containing residue did not reveal a statistically significant difference between treatments. In addition, the Congo Red staining test allowed the degradation of cellulose to be observed, proving the hydrolytic activity. It was concluded that the residues could be used as an alternative growth source for Acidobacteria AB23, attesting to its potential for degrading the lignocellulosic material present in coffee residues. Future experiments may evaluate degradation in enzymatic assays, use liquid medium, and apply the residue in its natural, unprocessed form to simulate agricultural conditions. It is also important to chemically characterize the waste to quantify its nutrients, in addition to investigating the degradation of other compounds present, such as hemicellulose and proteins.