SCREENING-TESTS ON THE BIODEGRADATION OF ORGANIC COAL EXTRACT BY SELECTED FUNGI

Eight fungi known to degrade lignin-like structures, were screened for their ability to degrade organic coal extract in aqueous medium. The substrate was a chloroform extract of low-rank coal. The process of su bstrate degradation, including the cleavage of functional groups, depo lymerization and dearomatization was evaluated on the basis of chromat ographic and spectral data. Gas chromatograms, high-performance size-e xclusion chromatograms, IR and H-1 NMR spectra are discussed in the pa per. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.