Reactions of pentachlorophenol with laccase from Coriolus versicolor.

Ullah MA, Bedford CT, Evans CS.

Fungal Biotechnology Group, School of Biosciences, University of Westminster, London, UK.

Abstract

Laccase, purified from Coriolus versicolor, removed pentachlorophenol (PCP) from solution at pH 5, depending on initial PCP concentration and amount of laccase. With 100 units of laccase, 100% of 25 microg ml(-1) PCP and 60% of 200 microg ml(-1) PCP were removed respectively over 72 h. No free chloride was released in the reaction. In reaction with 100 microg PCP, products were primarily polymers (about 80,000 MW) with only 2-3 pg of o- and p-chloranils formed. Polymers were stable to acid hydrolysis and no release of PCP, or other low-molecular-weight products, was detected over several weeks. Laccase has a potential use in the biotreatment of aqueous effluents containing PCP, with polymerised products being removed from solution due to their high molecular weight.

PMID: 10709987 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]