title: Butyltins degradation by Cunninghamella elegans and Cochliobolus lunatus co-culture.
abstract: Organotin compounds are ubiquitous in environment. However, biodegradation of tributyltin (TBT) and dibutyltin (DBT) to non toxic metabolites by fungi has been seldom observed. In this study we constructed a fungal co-culture with an efficient ability of TBT and its metabolites removal. The microscopic fungus strain Cunninghamella elegans degraded TBT via hydroxybutyldibutyltin (OHBuDBT) to its metabolites: DBT and monobutyltin (MBT), which were then transformed by Cochliobolus lunatus. The sequential biodegradation resulted in a 10-fold decrease in samples toxicity to Artemia franciscana larvae. With an initial TBT concentration of 5 mg l(-1), the co-culture of both fungi almost completely eliminated butyltins during 12 days of incubation in synthetic medium. To our knowledge, this is the first report that the mixed fungal co-culture could efficiently degrade TBT. This process was associated with glucose utilization, and a cometabolic nature of butyltins removal by selected strains has been suggested.
authors: Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, PL 90-237 Łódź, Poland.
authors: Przemysław
authors: P
authors: Bernat
authors: Rafał
authors: R
authors: Szewczyk
authors: Mariusz
authors: M
authors: Krupiński
authors: Jerzy
authors: J
authors: Długoński
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001156:Artemia; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000378:metabolism*; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D020093:Cunninghamella / Q000378:metabolism*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D009947:Organotin Compounds / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D014220:Trialkyltin Compounds / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D009947:Organotin Compounds; D014220:Trialkyltin Compounds; C056189:di-n-butyltin; C011559:tributyltin