Abstract |
Extensive biodegradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) by the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium was demonstrated by the disappearance and mineralization of (14)C PCP in nutrient nitrogen-limited culture.Mass balance analyses demonstrated the formation of water-soluble metabolites of (14)C PCP during degradation. Involvement of the lignin-degrading system of the fungus was suggested by the fact that the time of onset, time course, and eventual decline in the rate of PCP mineralization were similar to those observed for (14)C lignin degradation. Also, a purified ligninase was shown to be able to catalyze the initial oxidation of PCP. Although biodegradation of PCP was decreased in nutrient nitrogen-sufficient (i.e., nonligninolytic) cultures of P. chrysosporium, substantial biodegradation of PCP did occur, suggesting that in addition to the lignin-degrading system, another degradation system may also be responsible for some of the PCP degradation observed. (Copyright (c) 1988 American Society for Microbiology.) |