Pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene Metabolism by an Aspergillus Terreus Strain Isolated from a Polycylic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Polluted Soil

Abstract

A strain of Aspergillus terreus was isolated from a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) polluted soil. The metabolism of pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene by this fungus was investigated in liquid submerged culture added of 50 and 25 ppm respectively of each compound. Depletion of pyrene and Benzo(a)pyrene was evident during the first stages of growth and was 60% and 27.5% respectively of the added amount after nine days of culture. Solvent extracts of the fermentation broth and mycelium were analysed for presence of metabolites by HPLC-MS technique. Under the present cultural conditions pyrene was mainly metabolised to pyrenylsulfate similarly to benzo(a)pyrene that led to benzo(a)pyrenylsulfate. The structure of 1-pyrenilsulfate was determined after purification of extracts and H-NMR analysis. The result show that the isolated A. terreus strain metabolises PAHs by reaction similar to those previously reported for non lignolinolytic fungi with a mechanism that suggests the hydroxylation by a cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase followed by conjugation with sulfate ion.

Evolution of Chemical Diversity in Echinocandin Lipopeptide Antifungal Metabolites

“…1 and 2). Therefore, we hypothesize that this enzyme and/or accessory oxygenases may mediate stepwise hydroxylation and sulfation of the pneumocandin homotyrosine residue (52,53). The 12-methyl myristoyl side chain of mulundocandin raised a question as to whether it could be synthesized by a PKS as in the pneumocandins.…”

Phenanthrene Removal from Soil by a Strain of Aspergillus niger Producing Manganese Peroxidase of Phanerochaete chrysosporium

“…This fact has led to an increased tolerance in plate and solid culture and greater removal efficiency in high Phe concentrations in solid culture. This result is important because PAH degradation has only been studied in submerged culture by ligninolytic fungi isolated from contaminated soils and, since PAHs have low solubility in water, only low concentrations have been used; for example, a strain of Aspergillus terreus has been isolated from a PAH-polluted soil and the metabolism of pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene by this fungus was investigated in liquid submerged culture supplemented with 50 and 25 ppm, respectively, of each compound [58]. Penicillium chrysogenum degraded 60% of fluorene (50 ppm initial) in the presence of Tween 80 after 2 days [53].…”

“…These microorganisms degrade PAHs cometabolically. The removal of PAHs by ligninolytic fungi has been attributed mainly to their extracellular ligninolytic enzymes [15][16][17][18], but their preference to colonize compact wood is a clear disadvantage since it limits their capability to grow in a completely different environment such as soil [19][20][21][22].…”

Sequential Remediation Processes for Effective Removal of Oil from Contaminated Soils

“…A gram of soil may contain up to a billion bacteria, a million algae, 100 thousand protozoa and 10 km of fungi hyphae (Trevors, 2010). Table 1 shows a list of known hydrocarbons degrading microorganisms (Beilen et al, 2003;Wentzel et al, 2007;Kubota et al, 2008;Prince1 et al, 2003;Capotorti et al, 2004).…”

“…Canada produces about 1.4×106 tons annually which are exported to Japan, USA, Holland, Germany, England and Saudi Arabia (Mitsch and Gosselink, 2007). (Beilen et al, 2003;Wentzel et al, 2007;Kubota et al, 2008;Prince1 et al, 2003;Capotorti et al, 2004 Objectives: The object of this study was to develop a system for the remediation of soil contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons. The specific objectives were: (a) to develop an effective soil washing process for the removal of the hydrocarbons from the contaminated soil, (b) to develop an efficient water decontamination process using peat moss and (c) to evaluate the effectiveness of bioremediation in converting the oil in peat moss into carbon dioxide and water.…”