title: Biosorption and biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in aqueous solutions by a consortium of white-rot fungi.
abstract: Bioremediation is a popular approach used to abate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the environment. A consortium of white-rot fungi (CW-1) isolated from wood pieces was used for studying their potential of bioremediation of PAHs. Biosorption and biodegradation of PAHs by live and heat-killed white-rot fungi (CW-1) were investigated to elucidate the bio-dissipation mechanisms of PAHs. Sorption isotherms of naphthalene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene and pyrene to heat-killed fungal biomass were linear and non-competitive, indicating the primary mechanism of biosorption to be by partition. The carbon-normalized partition coefficients (K(oc)) were linearly correlated with octanol-water partition coefficients (K(ow)), i.e., log K(oc)=1.13 log K(ow)-0.84 (n=5, r(2)=0.996). Biosorption and biodegradation of phenanthrene and pyrene by live white-rot fungi were quantified. In 1 week, the removal efficiency of phenanthrene (70-80%) and pyrene (90%) by live fungi from aqueous solution were comparable to those by heat-killed fungi. However, approximately 40-65% of phenanthrene and 60-85% of pyrene were still stored in organismal bodies. Biosorption might restrict biodegradation while nutrient limitation and presence of a PAH mixture might stimulate biodegradation. The apparent partition coefficients (K(d)(*)) in live fungal systems and the K(d) of heat-killed fungi without biodegradation were compared, and then the K(d)(*)/K(d) ratios were employed to illustrate the relative contributions of biosorption and biodegradation under different nutrient conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang University, Tianmushan Road 148, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310028, China. blchen@zju.edu.cn
authors.forename: Baoliang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yinshan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dingfei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018533:Biomass; D003470:Culture Media; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005658:Fungi / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000737:chemistry*; D012995:Solubility; D012996:Solutions; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012996:Solutions; D014867:Water