Significance of physical attachment of fungi for bio-treatment of water

Abstract

The inhibitory effect of xenobiotics known to damage cell surface structures was studied. The sensitivity of suspended cells of the two fungi Candida maltosa and Fusarium proliferatum was compared with that of artificial or natural biofilms of these fungi. The results obtained indicate that the resistance of attached cell populations to model xenobiotics is increased compared with suspended cells. Only the attached fungal cells had the capacity to degrade acetone and phenol and to adapt to increasing concentrations of these substances, so they seem ideally suited for bioremediation of waste water.