ENHANCED MINERALIZATION OF LINDANE IN SOILS SUPPLEMENTED WITH THE WHITE-ROT BASIDIOMYCETE PHANEROCHAETE-CHRYSOSPORIUM

Biotransformation of the insecticide lindane was investigated in steri lized and non-sterilized soils, each supplemented or not by the white rot basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium. After spore inoculation of the sterilized soil, the fungal biomass increased rapidly during t he first week, then proceeded at a lower rate during the following 8-w k. Conversely, only limited fungal growth was detected in non-sterile soils. Lindane mineralization, as a result of indigenous microflora ac tivity, was increased following fungal inoculation Then, extractable a mounts of lindane were quite similar in soils, with or without fungal addition. Mass-balance and SPME analysis revealed the volatilization o f degradation intermediates only from non-sterilized and non-inoculate d soil. P. chrysosporium seemed to modify lindane degradation pathway by increasing the conversion of volatile intermediates to CO2. (C) 199 7 Elsevier Science Ltd.