Bioremediation of PAH-Contaminated Soil by Fungi

MORELLI, I. S.; MARIO CARLOS NAZARENO SAPARRAT; DEL PANNO, T.; COPPOTELLI, B.; ARAMBARRI, A. M.

Fungi as Bioremediators, Soil Biology 32

Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2013; p. 159 - 179

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are by-products of the incomplete combustion of organicmaterials. They are considered to be priority pollutants in the environment due to their recalcitranceand mutagenic properties. The principal PAH loss process from soil is through microbial degradation;therefore, the bioremediation is considered as an efficient, financially affordable, and adaptable alternativefor the recuperation of PAH-contaminated soil. Several microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeasts, andfilamentous fungi, are capable of degrading different types of PAHs. The ability of the fungi to degrade thehigh-molecular-weight PAHs, together with their physiological versatility, converts the fungal remediationin a promising technique for the cleanup of PAH-contaminated soil. This chapter summarizes the recentinformation on the metabolic pathway of the fungal transformation of PAHs and provides a critical reviewof previous work about fungal bioremediation of PAH-contaminated soil. Also, some of the most recentlyused fungal technology to enhance PAHs bioremediation processes is discussed.