Comparison of pyrene biodegradation by white rot fungi

Six strains of white rot fungi, isolated from soil in Korea, were evaluated as to their ability to biodegrade the 4-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarb on pyrene. While growing in a complex fungal medium, Irpex lacteus, Tramete s versicolor KR11W, and Phanerochaete chrysosporium mineralized 15.6, 12.7 and 7.0% of the added 0.84 nmol of radioactive pyrene, respectively. In the se cultures, 33-46% of the added pyrene was converted to water-soluble pola r metabolites, and 22-40% was incorporated into fungal biomass. Pleurotus o streatus mineralized only 2.5% of the added pyrene, while T. versicolor KR6 5W and Microporus vernicipes failed to evolve (CO2)-C-14 from pyrene. The i nformation obtained aids in strain selection for clean-up of polycyclic aro matic hydrocarbon contamination.