Researchers identify fungus for pyrene remediation

Source: The post is based on the article “Researchers identify fungus for pyrene remediation” published in Down To Earth on 1st August 2022.

What is the News?

Researchers at the CSIR have identified a fungus capable of removing toxic and carcinogenic Pyrene or Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons(PAHs) from the environment.

What is Pyrene?

Pyrene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon(PAH) consisting of four fused benzene rings. It has several carcinogenic and mutagenic properties.

They originate from multiple sources including combustion of petrogenic fossil fuels and incomplete incineration of municipal wastes and biomass.

They get lodged into the environmental matrices like soil, water and atmosphere resulting in widespread environmental pollution necessitating adequate remediation of contaminated environmental matrices.

What have the researchers found?

Researchers have found a fungus named white-rot fungus Trametesmaxima IIPLC-32 which has the potential to cause microbial degradation of pyrene.

Growing on dead plants, this fungus causes pyrene degradation using special enzymes. This fungus also acts to decrease the pollution level of the soil.

Hence, this fungus may prove to be helpful in the remediation of pyrene.