Abstract

Pellets of the white-rot fungus Anthracophyllum discolor with activated carbon and sawdust (complex pellets) were formulated for the degradation of lignin in water and the bioremediation of soil contaminated with pentachlorophenol (PCP). The complex pellets were formed by a center of activated carbon and sawdust surrounded by fungal mycelium, whereas simple pellets consisting of only mycelium were hollow spheres. Degradation of lignin was performed in an airlift reactor at initial lignin concentration of 1000 mg L-1 and the fungal pellets were re-used two times in batch operations. Complex pellets degraded lignin by 87 and 72% in the first and second cycle, respectively, and they were significantly more effective than simple pellets. In addition, complex pellet showed higher manganese peroxidase activity in the reactor. For the bioremediation of soil contaminated with PCP (150 mg kg-1 of soil) the pellets were added to soil surface. PCP degradation in soil with complex pellets was 85% at 28 days of bioaugmentation, being higher than in soil with simple pellet. A fungus growth was also observed only in soil with complex pellet. Sawdust and activated carbon appear to be suitable carriers of A. discolor for degradation of organic pollutants in wastewater and soil.