SIMULTANEOUS BIODEGRADATION OF P-CRESOL AND PHENOL BY THE BASIDIOMYCETE PHANEROCHAETE-CHRYSOSPORIUM

The fungus Phanerochaete chrysoporium BKM-F-1767 was able to degrade high concentrations of p-cresol (up to 150 mg L(-1)) provided that glucose was added as a carbon and energy source and conditions favourable to ligninolytic enzyme activities were used, i.e. a nitrogen-limited medium. The fungus also simultaneously degraded p-cresol (50 mg L(-1)) and phenol (50 mg L(-1)) in a mixture at similar rates. Kinetics of p-cresol biodegradation were almost identical whether the compound was tested individually or in a mixture with phenol.