Biotransformation of Endocrine-Disrupting Compounds in Groundwater: Bisphenol A, Nonylphenol, Ethynylestradiol and Triclosan by a Laccase Cocktail from Pycnoporus sanguineus CS43

Abstract

The biodegradation of organic compounds present in water at trace concentration has become a critical environmental problem. In particular, enzymatic oxidation by fungal laccases offers a promising alternative for efficient and sustainable removal of organic pollutants in water. In this work, the biocatalytic ability of laccases from the Pycnoporus sanguineus CS43 fungus was evaluated. A filtered culture supernatant (laccase cocktail) evidenced an enhanced biotransformation capability to remove common endocrine-disruptor compounds (EDCs), such as bisphenol A, 4-nonylphenol, 17-α-ethynylestradiol and triclosan. A biodegradation of around 89–100 % was achieved for all EDCs using synthetic samples (10 mg L−1) and after the enzymatic treatment with 100 U L−1 (50.3 U mg −1). The biodegradation rates obtained were fitted to a first order reaction. Furthermore, enzymatic biocatalytic activity was also evaluated in groundwater samples coming from northwestern Mexico, reaching biotransformation percentages between 55 and 93 % for all tested compounds. As far as we know this is the first study on real groundwater samples in which the enzymatic degradation of target EDCs by a laccase cocktail from any strain of Pycnoporus sanguineus was evaluated. In comparison with purified laccases, the use of cocktail offers operational advantages since additional purification steps can be avoided.

Expression of a new laccase from Moniliophthora roreri at high levels in Pichia pastoris and its potential application in micropollutant degradation

“…Several reports describe effective removal of EDCs and NSAIDs by other laccases as well. Those experiments were carried out at acidic pH values, due to higher laccase activities at these pH values (Asadgol et al 2014; Garcia-Morales et al 2015; Macellaro et al 2014; Sei et al 2008; Tsutsumi et al 2001). However, wastewater of plant effluents, which are considered the main source of estrogens (Snyder et al 2001), usually show a neutral or basic pH.…”

Ligninolytic enzymes: Versatile biocatalysts for the elimination of endocrine‐disrupting chemicals in wastewater

“…Besides the lignin degradation activity of LEs, their potentials for bioremediation and wastewater effluent treatment have been reported (Husain, ; Mehta, ; Rajasundari & Murugesan, ). Furthermore, they have shown great potentials for the transformation of several types of recalcitrant aromatic compounds with known or suspected endocrine‐disrupting properties such as PAHs, PCBs, APs, and pesticides (Davila‐Vazquez, Tinoco, Pickard, & Vazquez‐Duhalt, ; Garcia‐Morales et al., ; Mao, Lu, Gao, & Huang, ; Suzuki, Hirai, Murata, & Nishida, ; Taboada‐Puig et al., ; Touahar, Haroune, Ba, Bellenger, & Cabana, ).…”

“…Therefore, enzymatic treatment process, involving the use of ligninolytic oxidative enzymes for EDC removal, has recently attracted attention as an environmentally friendly alternative. The potential of some LEs including laccase, MnP, and VP for efficient removal of EDC in water has recently been reported (Diano & Mita, ; Garcia‐Morales et al., ; Ramírez‐Cavazos et al., ; Taboada‐Puig et al., ; Touahar et al., ; Wen, Jia, & Li, , ; Zhang & Geissen, ).…”

Fungal Bioremediation of Emerging Micropollutants in Municipal Wastewaters

“…Groundwater samples were supplemented with BPA, NP, TCS and 17α-ethinylestradiol: the slightly minor process yields were charged to the presence of ions that may inhibit laccase activity (Garcia-Morales et al 2015). Estrogens depletion in municipal waters was worse than in spiked solutions using 2,000-10,000 U/l of laccases from T. versicolor (Auriol et al 2007).…”