Interactions between biofiller-modified polymeric composites and wood-rotting fungi in terms of their biotechnological applications

The synthesis and characterization of polymeric cross-linked composites derived from bisphenol A glycerolate diacrylate (BPA.GDA) and N-vinyl-2-2pyrrolidone (NVP) are presented. Commercially available kraft lignin with different weight % (0, 5, and 20) was applied as an environmentally friendly filler. The composites were made by bulk polymerization using a photoinitiator (2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone) in special glass molds and cut into 10 mm x 10 mm fragments for testing. The chemical structures of the composites were confirmed by means of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Polymers modified with the addition of lignin were introduced into cultures of three species of white rot fungi: Cerrena unicolor, Pycnoporus sanquineus, and Abortiporus biennis. The biochemical and profilometric analyses showed clear changes both in the course of selected metabolic processes in the fungal cells and in the structure of the biomaterials. Clear changes in the activity of such enzymes as laccase, beta-glucosidase, or acid proteases caused by the selected polymers were observed in the culture fluids.

Automated summary

This study presents the synthesis and characterization of polymeric cross-linked composites modified with lignin, and evaluates their effects on fungal cell metabolic processes and biomaterial structure.