Potential of the White-Rot Fungus

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread environmental contaminants formed mainly through incomplete combustion of organic matter (fossil fuels, biomass, industrial processes). They are hydrophobic, persistent, and tend to accumulate in soils, sediments, and biota. Fluorene, a three-ring PAH, is commonly detected in urban air, surface waters, and sediments, especially near industrial sites and areas with high traffic emissions. Although fluorene is less studied compared to high-molecular-weight PAHs, it is often found in relatively high concentrations in the environment. White-rot fungi (WRF), predominantly belonging to the Basidiomycota, are recognized as efficient degraders of persistent organic pollutants, including fluorene. The present study focuses on evaluating the biodegradation ability of WRF Trametes versicolor 8939 towards fluorene under submerged cultivation conditions. Fluorene was used in the culture media at concentrations up to 200 ppm, either as the sole source of carbon or as an additional component of the medium. The activities of the lignin-degrading enzymatic system (laccase and manganese- dependent peroxidase) were monitored during all experiments. The fungus was able to degrade 100% of fluorene with an initial concentration of 200 ppm for 10 days when cultivated in rich medium in submerged conditions. Intermediates from the compound’s degradation were identified using GC/MS.