BIODEGRADATION OF A COLLOIDAL ESTER-BASED POLYURETHANE BY SOIL FUNGI

Four species of fungi were isolated from soil and found to degrade est er-based polyurethane in a polyurethane-agar clearing assay. One of th ese isolates, Curvularia senegalensis, secreted an extracellular enzym e-like factor with esterase properties, as determined by fluorescein d iacelate hydrolysis, and this active factor was partially purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation. The polyurethane-clearing factor had a n isoelectric point of 5.1 and a molecular weight of 28 kDa. It was st able to heating at 100-degrees-C for 10 min and was inhibited by pheny lmethylsulfonyl fluoride.