Characterization of phenanthrene degradation by strain Polyporus sp. S133

Polyporus sp. S133, a fungus collected from contaminated soil, was used to degrade phenanthrene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, in a mineral salt broth liquid culture. A maximal degradation rate (92%) was obtained when Polyporus sp. S133 was cultured for 30 days with agitation at 120 r/min, as compared to 44% degradation in non-agitated cultures. Furthermore, the degradation was affected by the addition of surfactants. Tween 80 was the most suitable surfactant for the degradation of phenanthrene by Poly...