Biodegradation of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis (4-chlorophenyl) ethane (DDT) by mixed cultures of white-rot fungus ganoderma lingzhi and bacterium pseudomonas aeruginosa

This study investigated the biodegradation of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis (4-chlorophenyl) ethane (DDT) by mixed cultures of white-rot fungus Ganoderma lingzhi and bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Bacterium P. aeruginosa culture with various volumes 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 ml (1 ml ≈ 1.53 x 109 bacteria cells/ml cultures) was added into 10 ml G. lingzhi culture for degrading DDT. After 7 d incubation, DDT was degraded about 100% with addition of 5, 7, and 10 ml of P. aeruginosa culture into G. lingzhi. Two metabolites; 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (4-chlorophenyl) ethane (DDD) and 1-chloro,2-2-bis (4-chlorophenyl) ethylene (DDMU) were detected from mixed cultures of G. lingzhi and P. aeruginosa as metabolic products of DDT. This research indicated that mixed cultures of whiterot fungus G. lingzhi and bacterium P. aeruginosa could be used to degrade DDT.