THE PHYSIOLOGY OF ANTHRACENE BIODEGRADATION BY THE WHITE-ROT FUNGUS BJERKANDERA SP STRAIN BOS55

A recently isolated white-rot strain, Bjerkandera sp. strain BOS55, di splays high extracellular peroxidase activity, and rapidly degrades po lycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). In this study, the culture condi tions for the biodegradation of the model PAH compound, anthracene, we re optimized with respect to O-2, N, and C. An additional objective wa s to determine if the decolorization of the polymeric ligninolytic ind icator dye, Poly R-478, could be correlated to anthracene biodegradati on observed under a wide range of culture conditions. The supply of O- 2 was found to be the most important parameter in the biodegradation o f anthracene. Increasing culture aeration enhanced the biodegradation of anthracene and the accumulation of its peroxidase-mediated oxidatio n product anthraquinone. Decolorization of Poly R-478 was less affecte d by inadequate aeration. Provided that ample aeration was supplied, t he degradation of anthracene under different culture conditions was st rongly correlated with the ligninolytic activity as indicated by the r ate of Poly R-478 decolorization. Concentrations up to 22 mM NH4+ N di d not repress anthracene biodegradation and only caused a 0%-40% repre ssion of the Poly R-478 decolorizing activity in various experiments. A cosubstrate requirement of 100 mg glucose/mg anthracene biodegraded was observed in this study.