Oxidation of persistent environmental pollutants by a white rot fungus

The white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium degraded DDT [1,1-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-2,2,2-trichloroethane], 3,4,3′,4′- tetrachlorobiphenyl, 2,4,5,2′,-4′,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, lindone (1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane) , and benzo[a]pyrene to carbon dioxide. Model studies, based on the use of DDT, suggest that the ability of Phanerochaete chrysosporium to metabolize these compounds is dependent on the extracellular lignin-degrading enzyme system of this fungus.