Basidiomycetes from Compost and their Dye Degradation and Enzyme Activities

Abstract

The degree of decolorization of Poly R-478, a highly recalcitrant anthraquinone dye, by three basidiomycetes belonging to Polyporales isolated from compost was investigated together with the enzymes involved. Decolorization tests in two liquid cultures, one with a simple mycelium inoculum, the other with an inoculum of mycelium grown on straw, resulted in 70% and 87% decolorization respectively in 7 days. However, the efficiency did not increase significantly in the presence of the lignocellulose substrate. The three strains produced laccase and/or manganese peroxidase activity during the decolorization, whereas lignin peroxidase activity was not observed. Previous growth on straw enhanced the synthesis of ligninolytic enzymes, though there was no correlation between enzyme activity and decolorization. The three fungi can be proposed as promising candidates for the treatment of colored industrial effluents and probably for soils contaminated by complex polymers, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.