Within this project different reactor designs, such as solid state fermentation and  fluidized bed, the use of different carbon sources as well as other operational parameters are evaluated to find a simple and cost efficient way to treat dyes using white-rot fungi.


White-rot fungi belong to the groups basidiomycetes and ascomycetes and are among the few groups of microorganisms known to degrade lignin, a polymeric structure of plants containing a random structure of aromatic rings. The fungi degrade lignin to reach cellulose which they use as a carbon source. Since lignin molecules are hydrophobic and have high molecular weight they cannot be absorbed for intracellular degradation. Instead white rot fungi produce extracellular enzymes to degrade lignin. Since lignin has a random structure the extracellular enzymes are highly non-specific and this ability of white-rot fungi has been explored and used for degradation of number of recalcitrant compounds with aromatic structures such as synthetic dyes.

Since white rot fungi can grow on a number of inexpensive carbon sources, such as straw or saw dust, it represents an interesting alternative for treatment of textile effluents. The challenges ahead are to avoid excessive fungal growth which clogs the system and to get a stable process since it is sensitive under non sterile conditions.