Fungal biodegradation of lignopolystyrene graft copolymers. [Pleurotus ostreatus; Phanerochaete chrysosporium; Trametes versicolor; Gloeophyllum trabeum]

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992 · Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States)

OSTI ID:6952190

Milstein, O; Gersonde, R; Huttermann, A ^[1]; Chen, MengJiu; Meister, J J ^[2]

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1. Forstbotanisches Inst. der Univ. Gottingen (Germany)
2. Univ. of Detroit Mercy, MI (United States)

White rot basidiomycetes were able to biodegrade styrene (1-phenylethene) graft copolymers of lignin containing different proportions of lignin and polystyrene (poly(1-phenylethylene)). The biodegradation tests were run on lignin-styrene copolymerization products which contained 10.3, 32.2, and 50.4{percent} (wt/wt) lignin. The polymer samples were incubated with the white rot fungi Pleurotus ostreatus, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, and Trametes versicolor and the brown rot fungus Gloeophyllum trabeum. White rot fungi degraded the plastic samples at a rate which increased with increasing lignin content in the copolymer sample. Both polystyrene and lignin components of the copolymer were readily degraded. Polystyrene pellets were not degradable in these tests. Degradation was verified for both incubated and control samples by weight loss, quantitative UV spectrophotometric analysis of both lignin and styrene residues, scanning electron microscopy of the plastic surface, and the presence of enzymes active in degradation during incubation. Brown rot fungus did not affect any of the plastics. White rot fungi produced and secreted oxidative enzymes associated with lignin degradation in liquid media during incubation with lignin-polystyrene copolymer.

• OSTI ID: 6952190
• Journal Information: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States), Journal Name: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States) Vol. 58:10; ISSN 0099-2240; ISSN AEMID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BIODEGRADATION
CARBOHYDRATES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENZYME ACTIVITY
EVALUATION
FUNGI
LIGNIN
MATERIALS
METABOLISM
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLANTS
PLASTICS
POLYMERS
POLYOLEFINS
POLYSACCHARIDES
POLYSTYRENE
POLYVINYLS
SACCHARIDES
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS