HYDROXYL RADICAL ACTIVITY IN BROWN-ROT FUNGI STUDIED BY A NEW CHEMILUMINESCENCE METHOD

A sensitive and selective chemiluminescence method is used to detect hydroxyl radicals during growth of brown-rot fungi. The results show that hydroxyl radicals are generated after an incubation period in surprisingly high yields. The hydroxyl radicals are formed at different rates when brown-rot fungi grown liquid media, agar media or wood. Addition of glucose, veratryl alcohol or nutrient nitrogen to the culture media affects the formation of hydroxyl radicals in different ways. The initial degradation of wood, measured as alkali solubility, closely follows the amount of hydroxyl radicals formed. Together, these observations indicate that hydroxyl radicals contribute significantly to the initial degradation of wood.