Potential of Penicillium species in the bioremediation field

The effects on the environment of pollution, particularly that caused by various industrial activities, have been responsible for the accelerated fluxes of organic and inorganic matter in the ecosphere. Xenobiotics such as phenol, phenolic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heav...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of environmental research and public health 2009-04, Vol.6 (4), p.1393-1417
Main Author: Leitao, Ana Lucia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biodegradation
Biodegradation, Environmental
Bioremediation
Fungi
Metals, Heavy - metabolism
Penicillium
Penicillium - enzymology
Phenol - metabolism
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - metabolism
Review
Waste Disposal, Fluid
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Summary:The effects on the environment of pollution, particularly that caused by various industrial activities, have been responsible for the accelerated fluxes of organic and inorganic matter in the ecosphere. Xenobiotics such as phenol, phenolic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heavy metals, even at low concentrations, can be toxic to humans and other forms of life. Many of the remediation technologies currently being used for contaminated soil and water involve not only physical and chemical treatment, but also biological processes, where microbial activity is the responsible for pollutant removal and/or recovery. Fungi are present in aquatic sediments, terrestrial habitats and water surfaces and play a significant part in natural remediation of metal and aromatic compounds. Fungi also have advantages over bacteria since fungal hyphae can penetrate contaminated soil, reaching not only heavy metals but also xenobiotic compounds. Despite of the abundance of such fungi in wastes, penicillia in particular have received little attention in bioremediation and biodegradation studies. Additionally, several studies conducted with different strains of imperfecti fungi, Penicillium spp. have demonstrated their ability to degrade different xenobiotic compounds with low co-substrate requirements, and could be potentially interesting for the development of economically feasible processes for pollutant transformation.
ISSN:1660-4601
1661-7827
1660-4601
1661-7827
DOI:10.3390/ijerph6041393