Tuesday, November 14, 2006
186-10

Basidiomycetes Fungi Unable to Metabolize Fullerenes (C60).

Scott Shepherd1, Timothy Filley1, and Robert A. Blanchette2. (1) Purdue University, 550 Stadium Mall Dr., West Lafayette, IN 47907, (2) University of Minnesota, Dept. of Plant Pathology, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108

Research regarding the potential uses of fullerenes has become quite prominent in recent years.  Due to the many promising applications of these highly stable structures, fullerenes are being mass-produced for research and industrial uses alike.  However, there is no current knowledge on the environmental fate of these compounds.  This is a necessary avenue of research because of the large quantities being utilized today.  In this project, we have used five different fungi (Trametes versicolor, Phlebia tremullosa, Gloeophylum trabeum, Fomitopsis pinicola, and Cadophora malorum) to represent the basidiomycota and it’s ability to degrade 13C-labeled fullerenes (C60) in the environment.  Preliminary results of fungal hyphae using EA-IRMS show no indications that these fungi are able to degrade and metabolize C60.