Biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by pleurotus sajor-caju

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are considered priority pollutants because they have potentially dangerous effects on the environment and human health. Bioremediation has recently become attractive to restore polluted sites, because it is not expensive and fulfils the most important properties required by the current regulations. In this work the capability of a white-rot fungi, Pleurotus sajor-caju, was assessed for degradation of pyrene and chrysene. The main objective was to investigate the effects of pollutant concentration on the mycelium growth and find the conditions that can enhance the microorganism tolerance when exposed to pyrene and chrysene. The tests carried out in Petri dishes showed that chrysene inhibited mycelium growth, whereas pyrene was well tolerated. Experiments in liquid medium evidenced that the mycelium was able to degrade pyrene with a removal efficienty greater than 90%.