Degradation of High Concentrations of Anthracene Using White-Rot Wood-Inhabiting Fungi and Investigation of Enzyme Activities
mycolabadmin
Scientists in Iran discovered that certain wood-decay fungi, particularly Trametes versicolor mushrooms, can effectively break down anthracene, a toxic pollutant from oil and gas industries. These fungi produce special enzymes that degrade the harmful chemical into less toxic substances. In laboratory tests, these indigenous Iranian fungi successfully removed 20-64% of high-concentration anthracene over four weeks, showing promise for cleaning up contaminated sites.