Enhanced Biodegradation of DDT by White-Rot Fungus Phlebia brevispora TMIC34596 in a Nutrient-Rich Medium at Short Incubation Time

Boelan, Erly Grizca
Purnomo, Adi Setyo
Fajriah
Kamei, Ichiro
Leba, Maria Aloisia Uron
Missa, Hildegardis
Baunsele, Anselmus Boy
Kopon, Aloysius Masan

HAYATI Journal of Biosciences
Vol. 33 No. 1 (2026): January 2026

1,1,1-Trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl) ethane (DDT) is a persistent organic pollutant that remains a global environmental concern due to its high toxicity and recalcitrance. This study investigated the ability of the white-rot fungus Phlebia brevispora to degrade DDT in a nutrient-rich Potato Dextrose Broth (PDB) medium under a short incubation time. The fungus degraded 64.25% of DDT within 7 days. Metabolites identified by GC/MS were DDE (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl) ethylene), DDD (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl) ethane), and DDMU (1-chloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl) ethylene), indicating both reductive dechlorination and dehydrogenation pathways. The results demonstrate that P. brevispora has strong potential for rapid biotransformation of DDT in nutrient-rich environments.