Inventors:
Jagjit S. Yadav - Cincinnatti OH
Chilekampalli A. Reddy - East Lansing MI
John F. Quensen - Haslett MI
James M. Tiedje - Lansing MI
Assignee:
Board of Trustees operating Michigan State University - East Lansing MI
International Classification:
C12N 100
C12N 114
Abstract:
Substantial degradation of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) mixtures is carried out using the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium, under nutrient, carbon and nitrogen source rich, non-ligninolytic conditions. The PCBs with various numbers of ortho, meta, and para chlorines were extensively degraded, indicating relative nonspecificity for the position of chlorine substitutions on the biphenyl ring. Maximal degradation of PCBs in a mixture was observed in malt extract medium (18. 4% on a molar basis), in which most of the individual PCBs were degraded.