Degradation of polyesteramides during composting under standard and isothermal conditions.

Polyesteramides based on epsilon-caprolactam and epsilon-caprolactone differing in the content of ester-amide structural units were subjected to biodegradation - composting in a big compost pile under controlled conditions (controlled composting) and in small composters at a steady temperature of 60 degrees C (isothermal composting). Both types of composting resulted in degradation of the polyesteramides depending on copolymer composition, isothermal composting being more robust. The contribution of abiotic hydrolysis to the degradation of polyesteramides was studied at 60 degrees C in buffer solutions with pH 5.4, 7.4 and 8.4. The prevailing effect of abiotic hydrolysis over biological one was shown at 60 degrees C. Ester bonds in polyestramide chains were preferentially cleaved; therefore, the scope of degradation increased with the content of ester units in the copolymer.

Degradation of PAHs by ligninolytic enzymes of Irpex lacteus.

The ligninolytic fungus Irpex lacteus was shown as an efficient degrader of oligocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; 'polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons') possessing 3-6 aromatic rings in complex liquid media. The strain produced mainly Mn-dependent peroxidase in media without pollutants. Activity of ligninolytic enzymes was higher in a N-limited medium. However, after contamination with PAHs (especially pyrene) the values increased and significant activity of Mn-independent peroxidase appeared in the complex medium. Other factors (such as the increase in nitrogen concentration or the presence of solvent(s) for dissolution of PAHs) had no effect. Cytochrome P-450 was detected in the microsomal fraction of biomass grown in the complex medium. The rate of PAH degradation was also affected by the presence of various combinations of PAHs. However, independently of the enzyme activities, anthracene was shown to have a positive influence on degradation of pyrene and fluoranthene.

Implication of Dichomitus squalens manganese-dependent peroxidase in dye decolorization and cooperation of the enzyme with laccase.

Three new chromatographic forms of Dichomitus squalens manganese-dependent peroxidase (MnP) were isolated from wheat-straw cultures using Mono Q and connective interaction media (CIM) fast protein liquid chromatography. Enzymes revealed identical molar mass of 50 kDa (estimated by SDS-PAGE) and pI values of 3.5, however, they varied in Km values obtained for Mn2+ oxidation. The addition of wood and straw methanol extracts to the cultures showed that the production of MnPs in wheat-straw cultures was influenced rather by the type of cultivation than by phenolic compounds from lignocellulosic material which induced laccase production. The purified CIM1 MnP was able to decolorize selected azo and anthraquinone dyes more rapidly than laccase Lc1. In vitro dye decolorization showed a synergistic cooperation of MnP and laccase. In the case of CSB degradation MnP prevented from the production of a differently colored substance that could be produced after CSB degradation by laccase-HBT system.

The role of Mn-dependent peroxidase in dye decolorization by static and agitated cultures of Irpex lacteus.

Dye decolorization capacity of two white-rot fungi, Irpex lacteus and Phanerochaete chrysosporium, was compared in N-limited liquid cultures. The agitated cultures showed lower ability to decolorize azo dyes Reactive Orange 16 and Naphthol Blue Black than static cultures. Similar effect was also observed with other structurally different synthetic dyes. The effect of surfactants on the decolorization process is discussed. A significant increase in the Reactive Orange 16 decolorization by the agitated I. lacteus cultures was observed after adding 0.1% Tween 80, following a higher Mn-dependent peroxidase production. The in vitro dye decolorization using the purified enzyme proved its decolorization ability.

PCB congener selective biodegradation by the white rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus in contaminated soil.

Six strains of white rot fungi were tested for their biodegradation ability of low chlorinated polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) commercial mixture (Delor 103) in real soil system. Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Trametes versicolor did not show any ability to degrade PCBs in soil. On the contrary, four strains of Pleurotus ostreatus were able to remove about 40% of Delor 103 in two months. All P. ostreatus strains decomposed PCBs selectively with the preference for congeners with chlorine atoms in ortho > meta > para position. Degradation efficiency decreased with increasing number of chlorination.

Irpex lacteus, a white rot fungus applicable to water and soil bioremediation.

Growth parameters, ligninolytic enzyme activities and ability to degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by the fungus Irpex lacteus were characterized and compared with those of other white rot fungi capable of rapid decolorization of poly R-478 and Remazol Brilliant Blue R dyes. I. lacteus was able to grow on mineral and complex media and efficiently colonized sterile and non-sterile soil by exploratory mycelium growing from a wheat straw inoculum. In shallow stationary cultures growing on high nitrogen mineral medium containing 45 mM ammonium as nitrogen source, the fungus produced lignin peroxidase (LIP), Mn-dependent peroxidase (MnP) and laccase simultaneously, the respective maximal activities of 70, 970 and 36 U/l being attained around day 18. Growing in nitrogen-limited medium (2.4 mM ammonium), no LIP was formed and levels of MnP and laccase decreased significantly. During growth in sterile soil, the fungus synthesized LIP and laccase but not MnP. I. lacteus efficiently removed three- and four-ringed PAHs from liquid media and artificially spiked soil. The variety of ligninolytic enzymes, robust growth, capability of soil colonization and resistance to inhibitory action of soil bacteria make I. lacteus a suitable fungal organism for use in bioremediation.

Extracellular oxidative enzyme production and PAH removal in soil by exploratory mycelium of white rot fungi.

Selected strains of three species of white rot fungi, Pleurotus ostreatus, Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Trametes versicolor, were grown in sterilized soil from straw inocula. The respective colonization rates and mycelium density values decreased in the above mentioned order. Three- and four-ringed PAHs at 50 ppm inhibited growth of fungi in soil to some extent. The activities of fungal MnP and laccase (units per g dry weight of straw or soil), extracted with 50 mM succinate-lactate buffer (pH 4.5), were 5 to 20-fold higher in straw compared to soil. The enzyme activities per g dry soil in P. ostreatus and T. versicolor were similar, in contrast to P. chrysosporium, where they were extremely low. Compared to the aerated controls, P. ostreatus strains reduced the levels of anthracene, pyrene and phenanthrene by 81-87%, 84-93% and 41-64% within 2 months, respectively. During degradation of anthracene, all P. ostreatus strains accumulated anthraquinone. PAH removal rates in P. chrysosporium and T. versicolor soil cultures were much lower.

Investigation into PCB biodegradation using uniformly 14C-labelled dichlorobiphenyl.

Biodegradation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soil is considered to be very complex due to various physico-chemical factors involved. Isotope labelling technique is the best to trace fate of the xenobiotic in the environment. In this work, the uniformly 14C-labelled PCB congener 11 (3,3'-chlorobiphenyl) was chosen as a low chlorinated coplanar biphenyl which was assumed to be readily degraded by microorganisms. Pleurotus ostreatus and two Pseudomonas species, representing white rot fungi and soil bacteria were used separately or in a consortium. The amount of liberated 14CO2 and radio-HPLC, HPLC, GC-MS, and radio-TLC analyses of extracts at the end of a two-month experiment showed that the mineralization of PCB 11 was < 0.4%, volatilization < 3.1%, and 30% of radioactivity was irreversibly bound to the soil matrix. The respective contents of all intermediate metabolites were 4.7 to 10.5 and 2.5 to 2.7% where Pseudomonas alcaligenes alone or in combination with P. putida was applied. 3-Chlorobenzoic acid was the major biodegradation product.

Removal of PCBs by various white rot fungi in liquid cultures.

The ability of Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Trametes versicolor, Coriolopsis polyzona, and Pleurotus ostreatus growing in a mitogen-limited mineral medium (NMM) to degrade PCBs in a commercial, Delor 106 mixture at a concentration of 0.9 ppm was compared. The respective amount of PCBs removed from the fungal cultures within 3 weeks were 25, 50, 41 and 0%. The capacities of the individual fungal species to remove PCBs correlated to some extent with their capabilities of decolorization of NMM agar containing both Poly R-478 or Remazol Brilliant Blue R dyes. Enzyme estimations indicated that both high and relatively stable activities of Mn-dependent peroxidase, Mn-independent peroxidase, lignin peroxidase, and laccase characterized efficient PCB degraders.

Effect of white-rot basidiomycetes-treated wheat straw on rumen fermentation in artificial rumen.

This study evaluated three white-rot basidiomycetes for their potential to improve the ruminal degradation of wheat straw. Pleurotus ostreatus (PO), Pleurotus ostreatus-mutant (PO-M) and Trametes gibbosa (TG) were incubated on wheat straw for 30 days at 28 degrees C. Neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), crude protein and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) were determined. The results demonstrated increasing crude protein and ash contents (%) in the fungi-treated straws. The IVDMD values were also increased. Compared to untreated wheat straw (UWS), the NDF and ADF contents were reduced in fungi-treated straw (TWS). Out of the three fractions-hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin-hemicellulose showed the largest proportionate loss and lignin the smallest in all three fungi-treated straws. TWS with Pleurotus ostreatus (TWS-PO), Pleurotus ostreatus-mutant (TWS-PO-M) and Trametes gibbosa (TWS-TG) together with barley (80:20%) were used as the experimental diets in the artificial rumen. UWS with barley (80:20%) served as the control diet. The results revealed significantly higher IVDMD values, NDF, ADF and cellulose digestibilities (%) with the experimental diets. The production of propionic acid decreased, n-butyric, n-valeric and isovaleric acids (mmol/day-1) increased and the volatile fatty acid (VFA) production expressed in mol VFAs.kg-1 digested dry matter decreased in experimental diets. The total microbial production also decreased at fermentation in the experimental diets.