ADSORPTION AND REMOVAL OF PENTACHLOROPHENOL BY WHITE-ROT FUNGI IN BATCH CULTURE

The adsorption and removal of pentachlorophenol (PCP) by 12 species of white rot fungi is a function of species and culture conditions. In g eneral, PCP adsorption to mycelia was very low, ranging from 0.01 to 0 .05 g PCP g mycelium(-1) (dry wt basis) at 40 mg PCP l(-1), with no ap parent correlation between species. After long pre-incubation periods (8-20 d), all species of fungi reduced PCP by > 50% within 12 days of PCP addition. Several species of fungi, including Phanerochaete chryso sporium, Trametes versicolor, and all four Ganoderma sp. removed > 50% of the PCP within 24 h, although the largest overall reduction of PCP (96%) was achieved by Inonotus rickii. PCP removal in 250 ml flasks b y shallow (10 ml) cultures was greater than removal by deep (50 ml) cu ltures indicating that the ratio of surface area to volume of liquid m edia is an important factor in the extent of PCP removal by white rot fungi.