Effect of Cadium Ions on the Activity of Fungal Laccase and Its Decolorization of Dye, RBBR

The effect of cadmium ions on ligninolytic and decolourizing activities in cultures of two white-rot fungi, Cerrena unicolor and Trametes versicolor, were examined. Cadmium was added to the shallow stationary cultures growing on a liquid mineral medium. Both examined strains sorbed Cd ions in the first 24 hr of incubation. An appreciable stimulation of the activity of extracellular laccase (LAC) and inhibition of the extracellular manganese-dependent peroxidase (MnP) were simultaneously observed when 25 and 50 of cadmium ions were added to the cultures. On the other hand, the addition of cadmium ions also resulted in stimulating the decolorization activity of C. unicolor to decolorize Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR) in the cultures, but decreasing it in the culture of T. versicolor, which is compared to the inhibition of MnP activity in this fungus. Our data indicate that the presence of Cd(II) ions can affect the ligninolytic activity of white-rot fungi. It was found that C. unicolor is a strain resistant to the presence of Cd ions in the liquid culture media, and has a potential to use this strain for bioremediation of sites contaminated with both heavy metals and aromatic pollutants.