Enzymatic Treatment of Petrochemical Wastewater Containing 2- Naphthalene Sulfonated Polymers by Pleurotus ostreatus

Pleurotus ostreatus, using glucose as carbon source, is able to depolymerize a mixture of 2- naphthalene sulfonic acid polymers (NSAP), contained in a real petrochemical wastewater. On the contrary, its extracellular crude extracts, rich in laccases, are ineffective on NSAP degradation. Purified laccases and fungal extracellular extracts are able to depolymerize NSAP only in presence of specific synthetic or natural mediators. When P. ostreatus is grown on straw, the extracellular extracts are able to degrade the polymers, because they contain both high amounts of laccases and natural mediators. Because of the negligible cost of the straw this process appears very promising for enzymatic bioremediation of wastewater from rubber industry.