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), Vol. 58:10; ISSN 0099-2240
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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