Potential of the salt-tolerant laccase-producing strain Trichoderma viride Pers. NFCCI-2745 from an estuary in the bioremediation of phenol-polluted environments

Industrialization causes the generation of phenolic pollutants in the environment. The ability of laccases to oxidize phenolic compounds and reduce molecular oxygen to water has led to intensive studies on these enzymes. Although salt-tolerant fungi are potential sources of enzymes for industrial applications, they have been inadequately explored for laccase production. This study describes the isolation of a salt-and phenol-tolerant strain of Trichoderma sp. with the ability to produce laccase, and thus with the potential for industrial applications. The coconut husk retting ground in the estuaries of Kerala, India, a saline environment highly polluted with phenolic compounds, was selected for isolating the fungus. Enhanced laccase production was observed at 5-10 ppt salinity. The organism could grow even at 30 ppt salinity with reduced biomass production and laccase secretion. The optimum concentration of different phenolic compounds for enhanced laccase secretion ranged between 20 and 80 mg L-1. As the concentration of phenolic compounds increased beyond 200 mg L-1, the enzyme activity decreased and was completely inhibited at 800 mg L-1. The tolerance of Trichoderma viride Pers. NFCCI-2745 to salinity and various phenolic compounds can be utilized in the bioremediation of highly saline and phenolic compound-rich industrial effluents.