Biodegradation of phenol by a soil fungus: identification and degradation potential

WOLSKI E. A; BARRERA V.; CASTELLARI, C.; GONZALEZ J.F.

Edinburgo

Congreso; The 9th International Mycological Congress (IMC9: the Biology of Fungi).; 2010

The International Mycological Association and The British Mycological Society

In this work, we isolated a soil fungus, capable of degrading high concentrations of phenol as the only source of carbon in liquid cultures. Kinetic studies were done at 25 °C (10, 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/l-1). The biomass yields were 0.32, 0.37, 0.19, 0.134 and 0.054 mg of dry weight per mg/l-1 of phenol respectively. In all the cases, there was 99% of phenol degradation. For taxonomic identification, the fungus was grown in MEA, CYA and G25N. Mycelia showed white obverse colour in all the media tested. The reverse colours vary from white to yellow. In CYA at 25°C showed yellow exudates and colonies radially sulcated. Also, the fungus shown inhibitory activity against Micrococcus luteus (ATCC 9341), suggesting the production of â-lactamic antibiotics. Therefore, taxonomic identification by Pitt & Hocking (1997) suggests that the fungus belongs to the genus Penicillium. However, no fruiting bodies or conidia were observed. Molecular characterization, using ITS, TEF (transcription elongation factor) and beta-tubulin gene sequences, is under progress. The potential production of antibiotics from phenol and relates substrates is also a promising line of work.