CHED 1108 |
| Many persistent organic pollutants (POPs) contain aromatic rings, which contribute to the stability and persistence of the molecules. These contaminants accumulate in the environment and present hazards to local wildlife. Redox enzymes have been shown to break down some POPs and present a possible "green" method for environmental remediation. Ganoderma tsugae was collected locally in Elizabethtown, PA. G. tsugae is a wood-rotting fungus that uses the blue-copper enzyme, laccase, to oxidize the phenolic subunits in lignin. G. tusgae was cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA), as well as malt extract broth containing peptone and cellobiose. From these liquid cultures, laccase enzymes have been isolated and purified. Time-dependent activity analyses were carried out as function of pH and growth conditions using UV-visible spectroscopy. Various aromatic compounds, halogenated and non-halogenated, were exposed to the enzyme and monitored for degradation by gas chromatography, GC-MS spectrometry, and NMR spectroscopy. |
|
Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Environmental Chemistry
2:00 PM-4:00 PM, Monday, March 26, 2007 Hyatt Regency Chicago -- Riverside Center, Poster
Division of Chemical Education |