ADSORPTION AND REMOVAL OF PENTACHLOROPHENOL BY WHITE-ROT FUNGI IN BATCH CULTURE

The adsorption and removal of pentachlorophenol (PCP) by 12 species of white rot fungi is a function of species and culture conditions. In general, PCP adsorption to mycelia was very low, ranging from 0.01 to 0.05 g PCP g mycelium(-1) (dry wt basis) at 40 mg PCP l(-1), with no apparent correlation between species. After long pre-incubation periods (8-20 d), all species of fungi reduced PCP by > 50% within 12 days of PCP addition. Several species of fungi, including Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Trametes versicolor, and all four Ganoderma sp. removed > 50% of the PCP within 24 h, although the largest overall reduction of PCP (96%) was achieved by Inonotus rickii. PCP removal in 250 ml flasks by shallow (10 ml) cultures was greater than removal by deep (50 ml) cultures indicating that the ratio of surface area to volume of liquid media is an important factor in the extent of PCP removal by white rot fungi.