DETOXIFICATION AND DECOLORIZATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS BY MARINE MICROBIAL CONSORTIA

Abstract

Several studies have demonstrated the potential of ligninolytic fungi in degradation of environmental pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and industrial wastewater treatment. However, studies rekated to PAHs degradation and ligninolytic enzyme production by marine-derived fungi are still scarce. Since these microorganisms are adapted to the marine ecosystem they may have biological advantages for being applied in saline environments. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the degradation of PAHs using microbial consortia in various combinations, composed of six ligninolytic fungi (basidiomycetes and not basidiomycetes) isolated from marine invertebrates and four bacterias isolated from oil reservoir (offshore). The microbial consortia will be evaluated for their ability to in vitro degradation of PAHs pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene and production of ligninolytic enzymes during the degradation process. Those that have a potential use for the biotechnological will be tested for their capacity of the pollutants detoxification by the toxicity tests in HepG2 cells and/or seeds of Allium cepa. The consortium selected by its ability for degradation and detoxification of pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene should be subjected to experimental evaluation of different nutritional and environmental factors in the degradation of PAHs studied, as well as in determining the products of metabolism generated from the PAHs degradation.