MINERALIZATION OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS BY THE WHITE-ROT FUNGUS PLEUROTUS-OSTREATUS

The white rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus able to mineralize to (CO2)-C -14 7.0% of [C-14]catechol, 3.0% of [C-14]phenanthrene, 0.4% of [C-14] pyrene, and 0.19% of [C-14]benzo[a]pyrene by dag 11 of incubation. It also mineralized [C-14]anthracene (0.6%) much more slowly (35 days) an d [C-14]fluorene (0.19%) within 15 days, P. ostreatus did not minerali ze fluoranthene. The activities of the enzymes considered to be part o f the ligninolytic system, laccase and manganese-inhibited peroxidase, were observed during fungal growth in the presence of the various pol ycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Although activity of both enzymes was o bserved, no distinct correlation to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon de gradation was found.