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This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and European Research Funds (FEDER) [grant numbers CTM2017-84332-R] and from The Junta de Andalucía FEDER/Junta de Andalucía-Consejería de Transformación Económica, Industria, Conocimiento y Universidades [B-RNM-204-UGR20]. GAP studies were funded by a CONACyt fellowship [grant number 772485] the contract of TRM has been funded by María Zambrano Program (Next Generation Funds, UE) and SG received a Undergraduate Initiation to Research Scholarship from the University of Granada [grant number 669608935]., Appendix A. Supplementary material Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://doi. org/10.1016/j.wasman.2023.05.055., Around 143,000 chemicals find their fate in wastewater treatment plants in the European Union. Low efficiency on their removal at lab-based studies and even poorer performance at large scale experiments have been reported. Here, a coupled biological technology (bioaugmentation and composting) is proposed and proved for pharmaceutical active compounds degradation and toxicity reduction. The optimization was conducted through in situ inoculation of Penicillium oxalicum XD 3.1 and an enriched consortium (obtained from non-digested sewage sludge), into pilot scale piles of sewage sludge under real conditions. This bioaugmentation-composting system allowed a better performance of micropollutants degradation (21 % from the total pharmaceuticals detected at the beginning of the experiment) than a traditional composting process. Particularly, inoculation with P. oxalicum allowed the degradation of some recalcitrant compounds like carbamazepine, cotinine and methadone, and also produced better stabilization features in the mature compost (significant passivation of copper and zinc, higher macronutrients value, adequate physicochemical conditions for soil direct application and less toxic effect on germination) compared to the control and the enriched culture. These findings provide a feasible, alternative strategy to obtain a safer mature compost and a better removal of micropollutants performance at large scale., Grupo RNM-270 UGR, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and European Research Funds (FEDER) [grant numbers CTM2017-84332-R], Junta de Andalucía FEDER/Junta de Andalucía-Consejería de Transformación´Económica, Industria, Conocimiento y Universidades [B-RNM-204-UGR20], CONACyt fellowship [grant number 772485], María Zambrano Program (Next Generation Funds, UE), Undergraduate Initiation to Research Scholarship from the University of Granada [grant number 669608935]

El compostaje es un proceso viable para el tratamiento final de los lodos procedentes de la depuración del agua, en un contexto en el que la tendencia de este residuo tiende a incrementarse. Su uso final como enmienda en suelos representa una opción sostenible desde un punto de vista ambiental y económico y conforme con las nuevas políticas ambientales de reciclaje y revalorización de residuos. A pesar de existir numerosas tecnologías para el compostaje de lodos de depuradora, el empleo de cubiertas semipermeables representa una tecnología que permite el control de olores y el mantenimiento de la temperatura y humedad en el interior de la pila, lo que puede acelerar dicho proceso. Los microorganismos son los principales responsables, por lo que la monitorización de los cambios poblacionales y su interrelación con las variables operacionales puede representar una herramienta muy útil para optimizar estos procesos. En este trabajo se llevó a cabo el estudio de dos pilas de compostaje con lodos de depuradora a escala industrial. En ambas pilas se utilizó la tecnología de cubierta semipermeable conectada con un sistema de insuflación de aire, modificando únicamente los tiempos de compostaje. Se llevó a cabo la monitorización de los parámetros físico-químicos y microbiológicos, como la determinación de las actividades enzimáticas y el estudio de la diversidad microbiana (bacteriana, fúngica y vírica) tanto mediante técnicas dependientes como independientes de cultivo. Finalmente se realizó un cribado de la producción de enzimas extracelulares en los aislados bacterianos y fúngicos obtenidos con el fin de la obtención de enzimas de valor biotecnológico. Las variables físico-químicas revelaron una alta correlación entre la actividad microbiana y la diversidad, reflejadas en una intensa fase de degradación bajo la cubierta. La diversidad bacteriana y fúngica se vio influenciada principalmente por las altas temperaturas, que favorecieron a las comunidades termotolerantes. La comunidad vírica estuvo caracterizada por la presencia de virus de plantas y bacteriófagos de bacterias entéricas, sugiriendo el importante papel de los virus en el control de las comunidades patógenas., Composting is a viable process for the final treatment of sewage sludge, in a context in which these wastes tend to increase. The addition of compost in soil represents a sustainable option from an environmental and economic point of view. Likewise, this application is in agreement with new environmental policies of recycling and in the revaluation of waste. Despite the existence of numerous technologies for the composting of sewage sludge, the use of semipermeable covers represent a technology that allows the control of odors and the maintenance of temperature and humidity inside the system, which can accelerate the composting process. Microorganisms are the main responsible players of the biological transformation, thus, monitoring the changes in the microbial population and their interrelation with operational variables can represent a very useful tool to optimize these processes. In this work, we carried out the study of two composting piles with sewage sludge at industrial scale. Both piles used the semipermeable cover technology connected with an air insufflation system, and were tested under variable composting times. The monitored physical-chemical and microbiological parameters included the determination of enzymatic activities and the study of microbial diversity (bacterial, fungal and viral population). These variables were tracked by both dependent and independent culture technologies. Finally, the production of extracellular enzymes in bacterial and fungal isolates was studied to obtain enzymes of biotechnological value. Physico-chemical variables revealed high correlation between microbial activity and diversity, reflected in an intense phase of degradation under the semipermeable cover. The bacterial and fungal diversity was most influenced by the high temperatures, which favored thermotolerant communities. The viral community was characterized by the presence of plant viruses and bacteriophages of enteric bacteria. Results suggest the important role of viruses in the control of pathogenic communities., Tesis Univ. Granada., Este trabajo ha sido financiado por el Proyecto de Excelencia Motriz RNM 7370 de la Junta de Andalucía y se ha llevado a cabo dentro del Grupo RNM-270 de Microbiología Ambiental de la Universidad de Granada. La autora agradece el contrato predoctoral ofrecido por la Junta de Andalucía., Programa Oficial de Doctorado en Biología Fundamental y de Sistemas