INHIBITION OF THE LIGNIN PEROXIDASE OF PHANEROCHAETE-CHRYSOSPORIUM BY HYDROXYLAMINO-DINITROTOLUENE, AN EARLY INTERMEDIATE IN THE DEGRADATION OF 2,4,6-TRINITROTOLUENE

The ability of the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium to mineralize 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) was studied in the concentration range of 0.36 to 20.36 mg/liter. The initial rate of (CO2)-C-14 formation was 30% in 4 days at 0.36 mg of [C-14]TNT per liter and decreased to 5% in 4 days at 20.36 mg of [C-14]TNT per liter. Such a pronounced inhibition was not observed when a mixture of [C-14]2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene and [C-14]4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene was used as a substrate. 2-Hydroxylamino-4,6-dinitrotoluene and its isomer 4-hydroxylamino-2,6-dinitrotoluene were identified as the first detectable degradation products of TNT. Their transient accumulation correlated with the inhibition of TNT degradation and of the veratryl alcohol oxidase activity of lignin peroxidase. With purified lignin peroxidase H8, it could be shown that the two isomers of hydroxylamino-dinitrotoluene were oxidized by lignin peroxidase. The corresponding nitroso-dinitrotoluenes apparently were formed, as indicated by the formation of azoxy-tetranitrotoluenes.