Partial characterization of esterases from Fusarium culmorum grown in media supplemented with di (2-ethyl hexyl phthalate) in solid-state and submerged fermentation

Abstract

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a plasticizer used in the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) industry. The indiscriminate use of various products manufactured with PVC, causes this plasticizer to be considered a contaminant. Fusarium culmorum is a phytopathogenic fungus that has the ability to produce esterase enzymes. Esterases are of great importance because they can break the ester bonds present in the plasticizers. In this work, the activity of esterases produced by F. culmorum grown in media supplemented with different concentrations of DEHP (1500 and 2000 mg/L) in solid-state fermentation and submerged fermentation was characterized by biochemical tests and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. F. culmorum showed higher esterase activity in media supplemented with 1500 and 2000 mg DEHP/L in solid-state fermentation. A greater number of esterase activity bands were observed in the DEHP-supplemented media, having a molecular weight of about 20, 25, 37, 45, 55, 75 and 150 kDa, in both fermentation systems. 1500 mg of DEHP/L induced a higher production of esterases, demonstrating that high concentrations of DEHP did not inhibit the enzymatic production of the fungus.