ABSTRACT
The miniaturization and optimization of a white rot fungal bioremediation experiment is described in this paper. The optimized procedure allows determination of the degradation kinetics of anthracene. The miniaturized procedure requires only 2.5 ml of culture medium. The experiment is more precise, robust, and better controlled comparing it to classical tests in flasks. Using this technique, different parts, i.e., the culture medium, the fungi, and the cotton seal, can be analyzed. A simple sample preparation speeds up the analytical process. Experiments performed show degradation of anthracene up to approximately 60% by Irpex lacteus and up to approximately 40% by Pleurotus ostreatus in 25 days. Bioremediation of anthracene by the consortium of I. lacteus and P. ostreatus shows the biodegradation of anthracene up to approximately 56% in 23 days. At the end of the experiment, the surface tension of culture medium decreased comparing it to the blank, indicating generation of surfactant compounds.
Subject(s)
Environmental Restoration and Remediation/methods , Pleurotus/metabolism , Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons/metabolism , Anthracenes/metabolism , Basidiomycota/metabolism , Culture Media/metabolism , Environmental Pollutants/metabolism , Fungi/metabolism , In Vitro Techniques , Limit of Detection , Naphthalenes/metabolism , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
Collections of ornamental plants, as the object of the research, have been accumulated since 1924 in Kaunas Botanical Garden of Vytautas Magnus University. Plants are grown in six sections of the greenhouse following the geographic-climatic principle. It is also used for educational purposes in order to introduce students and public with plant world and the variety of its species. According to the data of taxonomical analysis made in 2002-2004 it was estimated that in the sections of the greenhouse there are grown 110 species of medicinal plants belonging to 83 genera, 56 families, 7 subclasses, 6 classes and to 3 divisions. The division Magnoliophyta is the largest of number of taxons: 2 classes, 7 subclasses, 50 families, 77 genus and 104 species. The number of plant species in 56 families of medicinal plants differs: the biggest (5-8 species) is in two families, the lowest (1-2 species)--in 41 and medium (3-4 species) in 13 families. Medicinal plants make 15% of all plant species grown in the greenhouse. According to the using these plants are: oil, aromatic, dye-stuff, ornamental, resiniferous, food, timber, melliferous, fibrous, spice, saponin, stimulating, tannin-bearing and technical.
