Filamentous fungi living in a PCBs-contaminated soil: first results

The widespread use and chemical stability of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) has led to extensive environmental contamination through accidental releases and inappropriate disposal techniques. In addition to physical treatment processes, in the last years studies have been performed to evaluate the effectiveness of biological treatment methodologies on PCBs-contaminated soils. Within the project LIFE 03 ENV/IT/000321 FREEPCB, focused on the elimination of PCBs from the food chain through bioremediation of agricultural areas, filamentous fungi of different genera were isolated from contaminated fields of Northern Italy. Using two different methods of isolation, species belonging to genera already used in biological control, such as Gliocladium, Metharrizium, Myrothecium, Trichoderma, resulted dominant by frequency of occurrence. Some strains of Arthrobotrys oligospora, Cunninghamella bainieri, Mortierella isabellina were repeatedly isolated from the most polluted soil samples and no apparent pattern of seasonal distribution was discernible. Finally, some cosmopolit n species of Acremonium, Aspergillus, Aureobasidium, Epicoccum, Mucor, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Verticillium were detected at low frequencies. Some of the above-mentioned fungi seem to be adapted to the contaminated soils, being able to growth on artificial culture added with congeners of biphenyls. Their capacity for biosorption and accumulation of PCBs will be evaluated.