Screening of white rot fungal species for their capacity to degrade lindane and other isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)

Abstract

J.C. Quintero, M.T. Moreira, G. Feijoo, and J.M. Lema. 2008. Screening of white rot fungal species for their capacity to degrade lindane and other isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH). Cien. Inv. Agr. 35(2):159-167. White-rot fungi have demonstrated a high capacity to degrade organic pollutants, including the insecticide lindane (γ-HCH). The purpose of this study γ was to evaluate the degradative capacities of several white rot fungi species, Bjerkandera adusta, Irpex lacteus, Lentinus tigrinus, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Phanerochaete sordida, Phlebia radiata, Pleurotus eryngii, Poliporus cialatus, and Stereum hirsutum. Fungal tolerance to various concentrations of α-, β-, γ- and γ δ isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) was studied in both liquid and soil media samples. δ- and γ-HCH isomers showed the highest inhibition of fungal γ growth of all HCH isomers. P. chrysosporium and B. adusta exhibited a high tolerance to HCH pollution. The δ- and γ-HCH isomers were degraded between 15.1 and 70.8% by six of the nine γ fungal species, B. adusta, P. ciliatus, L. tigrinu, S. hirsutum, P. eryngii, and I. lacteus; β-HCH was 56.6, 26.5 and 23.9% degraded by B. adusta, P. ciliatus and P. er yngii, respectively. In nonsterile soil, all the HCH isomers were degraded between 8.2 and 17.5% by B. adusta immobilized on corncobs or woodchips. In nonsterile soil, other soil microfl ora showed an antagonistic effect on white-rot fungi catalyzed degradation of HCH isomers.