Evaluation of the use of Pycnoporus sanguineus fungus for phenolics and genotoxicity decay of a pharmaceutical effluent treatment

  • Renata Alberto de Morais Watanabe Department of Enzimology, Federal University of Goiás (UFG)
  • Paulo de Tarso Ferreira Sales Federal University of Goiás (UFG)
  • Luiza Cintra Campos Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London
  • Telma Alves Garcia UFG - Universidade Federal de Goiás
  • Marize Campos Valadares UFG - Universidade Federal de Goiás
  • Fernando Schimidt Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de Goiás
  • Mariângela Fontes Santiago UFG - Universidade Federal de Goiás
Keywords: pharmaceutical effluent, biodegradation, Pycnoporus sanguineus, laccase, Manganese peroxidase

Abstract

If not properly and efficiently treated, wastes produced by the chemical industry can contaminate the environment. Using fungi able to degrade organic compounds (e.g. phenol) seems to be a prominent method to treat pharmaceutical wastewaters, in particular, the white-rot fungus. The aim of this work was to treat pharmaceutical effluent by the Pycnoporus sanguineus fungus. Three effluent samples were collected in a pharmaceutical industry. The production of enzymes such as laccase and manganese peroxidase was determined. Their production increased throughout the treatment with the P. sanguineus fungus, reaching maximum concentration of 4.48 U.mL-1 (Effluent 1), 8.16 U.mL-1 (Effluent 2), 2.8 U.mL-1 (Effluent 3) and 0.03 Abs.min-1 (Effluent 2), respectively, during 96 hours of biological treatment. Genotoxic effects of the raw and treated effluents were also investigated using the in vivo mouse bone marrow micronucleus (MN) assay. Results showed the biological treatment reduced the frequency of MN, in a dose-dependent manner, when compared to untreated sample. The decreasing of around 20% and 45% of phenolics concentration was observed throughout the treatment, confirming that laccase production can be related to the degradation of toxic compounds present in the effluent. Therefore, the biodegradation by the P. sanguineus fungus seems a promising method for the mineralization of recalcitrant compounds present in pharmaceutical effluents.

Published
23/12/2012
Section
Papers