Potential o of m microalgae a and c cyanobacteria in b bioremediation o of d distillery w wastewaters

Distillery slops derived from the commercial production of ethanol, also referred to as slops, are highly environmental aggressive industrial effluents. Most studies regarding biotreatment of slops are focused on the use of fungi and bacteria, but their efficient decontamination is still an unsolved problem. More recently, microalgae and cyanobacteria have emerged as promising detoxification microorganisms. Degradation of diverse hazardous contaminants, synthesis of high-value secondary metabolites, use of sunlight as energy source, production of photosynthetic oxygen that reduces the need for external aeration, are advantages that render these microorganisms as attractive "pollutantremovers". This review analyzes their potential to treat a number of aromatic pollutants and structurallyrelated compounds, focused on recent advances in research dealing with the treatment of distillery wastewaters. The capacity to metabolize phenolics such as lignin or tannins and their ability to degrade melanoidins, the main colored compounds of slops, is also considered. Some enzymatic aspects of phenol and melanoidin biodegradation are described as well.