Biodegradation of pentachlorophenol by micromycetes. III. Deuteromycetes

Abstract A third study on the biodegradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) (100 mg L −1 ) by micromycetes was done with 784 strains of Deuteromycetes cultivated in liquid synthetic medium. The disappearance of PCP after 5 days of cultivation was compared with POx production. Mean PCP depletion was 56% for Agonomycetales, 60% for Coelomycetes, 51% for Dematiaceae, 52% for Mucedinaceae (other than Aspergillus and Penicillium ), 56 and 57%, respectively, for Aspergillus and Penicillium , and 42% for Tuberculariales. Although some genera gave homogeneous results ( Ascochyta, Aspergillus, Coniothyrium, Penicillium ), a great variability was observed as well in PCP depletion as in POx production, reflecting the heterogeneity of this artificial taxonomic group. With a few exceptions, correlation between POx production and PCP disappearance was low or nonexistent. Another factor, probably not enzymatic, could be involved. © 1994 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. .