Assessment of acid hydrolysates of peat as substrate for Scytalidium acidophilum ATCC 26774 fungus

The acid-resistant fungus Scytalidium acidophilum ATCC 26774 was cultivated in submerged fermentation in hydrolysates of Sphagnum peat moss produced with H₂SO₄, HCl, HNO₃ and H₃PO₄ acids. Hydrolysis with H₂SO₄ produced the highest concentration of total carbohydrates and reducing sugars in the hydrolysates. However, when Scytalidium acidophilum ATCC 26774 was grown in undiluted hydrolysates, the H3PO₄ medium produced the best mycelial growth. The H₂SO₄ medium produced the highest dry biomass concentration (3.5 g dm^?3) obtained with water-diluted, non-supplemented peat hydrolysates. Supplementation of diluted H₂SO₄ hydrolysates with 3 g dm^?3 yeast extract and 0.4 g dm^?3 MgSO₄ considerably enhanced the growth, up to 5.9 g dm^?3 dry fungal biomass. The biomass composition of Scytalidium acidophilum ATCC 26774 grown in the medium which produced the best growth was determined, revealing a relatively high protein content of 37.5% of the dry mycelial weight.