Eco-toxicological studies of diesel and biodiesel fuels in aerated soil

The goal of this study was to compare diesel fuel to biodiesel fuel by determining the toxicity of analyzed materials and by quantitatively evaluating the microbial transformation of these materials in non-adapted aerated soil. The toxicity levels were determined by measuring the respiration of soil microorganisms as well as the activity of soil dehydrogenases. The quantitative evaluation of biotransformation of analyzed materials was based on the principle of balancing carbon in the following final products: (a) carbon dioxide; (b) humus compounds; (c) the remainder of non-biodegraded analyzed material; and (d) intermediate biodegradation products and the biomass of microorganisms. The results of these studies indicate that diesel fuel has toxic properties at concentrations above 3% (w/w), while biodiesel fuel has none up to a concentration of 12% (w/w). The diesel fuel is more resistant to biodegradation and produces more humus products. The biodiesel is easily biotransformed.     

Isolation and identification of fungi tolerant to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and coal tar from different habitats in Lithuania

A group of 36 fungal strains, belonging to the Lithuanian mycobiota, was collected and isolated from different locations, habitats, and matrices, including creosote-treated wood in storage yards for crosstie wastes. The eight most perspective strains selected according to preliminary assessment of tolerance to coal tar were subsequently identified combining taxonomical evaluation and molecular techniques. The tolerance of the eight identified fungal species (five basidiomycetes and three ascomycetes) to the presence of various concentrations of coal tar, and for the four most perspective fungal strains (Pleurotus sp., Schizophyllum sp., Irpex lacteus, Bjerkandera adusta) to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was evaluated. The ligninolytic enzymatic activity assay of the isolated strains resulted in a good correspondence between the tolerance to pollutants and the capability to produce ligninolytic enzymes indicating that this group of white-rot fungi is perspective for further investigation and eventual usage for mycoremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons polluted substrates.