Aromatic Hydrocarbon Degrading Phyllosphere Fungi

Abstract

Ambient air contains high amounts of potentially genotoxic and carcinogenic aromatic hydrocarbons (AH) that originate from the petroleum related activities and coal refining processes. The potential of phyllosphere organisms to oxidize these compounds into nontoxic forms has been investigated in some recent studies. This study was carried out to investigate the presence of aromatic hydrocarbon degrading fungi in the phyllosphere of Ixora sp., Amaranth sp., Hibiscus sp. and Ervatamia sp. which are common on roadsides close to the oil refinery at Sapugaskanda and in several urban areas having high level of vehicular emission. Their ability to degrade the AHs phenanthrene, naphthalene, xylene and toluene was investigated.

Depolymerization of polyaromatic hydrocarbons by Penicillium spp. inhabit the phyllosphere of urban ornamental plants

“…Ixora chinensis showed a comparatively higher population density of fungi other than Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Amaranthus cruentus, and Ervatamia divaricata. Phyllosphere of Ixora chinensis collected from urbanized zones of Sri Lanka was recorded as a surface for deposition of high concentration of PAHs (96.1 ng g −1 ) (Undugoda et al, 2016). According to Alagic et al (2015), the high wax amount of the leaves of Amaranthus cruentus, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Ervatamia divaricata, and Ixora chinensis lead to a high accumulation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons.…”

“…It was concluded that phenanthrene concentrations in the leaves stimulated the population of degraders in the phyllosphere microorganisms (Waight et al, 2007). Phyllosphere leaf samples from the polluted urban areas in Sri Lanka were collected and analyzed by Undugoda et al, 2016 and discovered the phyllosphere fungal population fluctuated and was found to be ranging between 1.28 × 10 3 and 9.6 × 10 6 CFU g −1 .…”

“…Fungi were isolated by categorizing the distinct morphological characteristics. Fungal pure cultures were prepared following the standard methods (Undugoda et al, 2016).…”

“…Researchers found that PAH degradation mechanisms by fungal species can be triggered by several enzymes such as laccase, Mnp, and Lip (Hatakka & Hammel., 2011). Examination of the involvement of main extracellular enzymes like laccase, HPLC analysis of Undugoda et al (2016) divuldged that Penicillium oxalicum had effective aromatic hydrocarbon degrading ability, and PAHs degradation was dominated by laccase, Mnp, and Lip enzyme activities of these fungi. Sack and Gunther (1993) also detected a comparable type of work as same as Pant and Adholeya (2007) and discovered the discharge of ligninolytic enzymes by Penicillium spp.…”