title: Biotransformation of polycyclic aromatic compounds by fungi.
abstract: Incubations of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heteroaromatic compounds with a series of common micro-organisms have been performed. The PAHs were not metabolized by any of the fungi studied. The sulphur-containing heterocyclic aromatic compounds dibenzothiophene, thioxanthone and thiochromanone were oxidized at sulphur by C. elegans. Other fungi are capable of oxidation at the sulphur atom of dibenzothiophene and thioxanthone. C-1 and C-3 methyl substituted thioxanthones are hydroxylated at the methyl group by C. elegans.
mesh_terms: D001711:Biotransformation; D005658:Fungi / Q000378:metabolism*; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011083:Polycyclic Compounds