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Item Polyaromatic Hydrocarbon Degradation of Moss Endophytic Fungi Isolated from Macromitrium sp. in Sri Lanka(David Publishing, 2016) Kannangara, S.; Ambadeniya, P.; Undugoda, L.; Abeywickrama, K.Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are the major by-products of fossil fuel burning, are released to the environment with the immense growth of urbanization and industrialization. These pollutants are subsequently deposited on many substrates including plant surfaces. Due to their toxicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity and recalcitrant nature, they can result in many hazardous effects on human health. Application of endophytes in bioremediation has shown much promise in removing these PAHs from contaminated substrates. In the present study, an attempt was made to isolate and identify endophytic fungi from the moss plant Macromitrium sp. (frequently available) in Sapugaskanda (highly polluted) and Hettimulla (less polluted) areas in Sri Lanka. Subsequently, their potential in degrading PAHs (naphthalene and phenanthrene) was investigated. Endophytes from the moss were isolated following the surface sterilization method, and their physiological roles in degrading naphthalene and phenanthrene were carried out using plate assays, spectrophotometric and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. Most of the endophytic fungi isolated from Macromitrium sp. were able to grow in Bacto Bushnell-Haas (BBH) medium incorporated with naphthalene and phenanthrene, separately, displaying colony diameters more than 30 mm. As per the results obtained from spectrophotometric and HPLC analysis, Penicillium oxalicum, Nigrospora oryzae, Aspergillus oryzae, A. aculeatus, Penicillium sp.1, Penicillium sp.5, Eupenicillium sp.2 and Mortierella sp.1 degraded both naphthalene and phenanthrene more than 85%. The findings of the present investigation provide some insight into how these endophytic fungi could be used for bioremediation of PAHs in environmental sites where contamination prevails, and also open avenues for future research in the relevant field.Item Screening endophytic fungi of Macromitrium sp. for potential degradation of PAHs(Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Ambadeniya, A.R.P.D.U.K.R.; Kannangara, S.; Abeywickrama, K.With rapid industrialization and urbanization, emission of air pollutants to the atmosphere has been increasing rapidly for several decades. Out of many pollutants, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) take a prime advertence due to their toxicity, mutagenecity, carcinogenicity and long persistence in nature. Therefore, removal of these is one of the major cruxes that the modern world faces. In the present study, an effort was made to isolate and identify endophytic fungi in a moss (Macromitrium sp.) found in a polluted area (Sapugaskanda) and a less polluted area (Hettimulla), and to investigate their ability to degrade PAHs (naphthalene and phenanthrene). It was hypothesized that endophytes isolated from the moss can degrade PAHs and endophytes from polluted area have a higher ability to degrade PAHs compared to those isolated from the less polluted area. Moss plants from Sapugaskanda and Hettimulla area were used. Surface sterilized and trimmed moss plant pieces were placed on Malt Extract Agar and incubated for 10 days at room temperature. Percentage frequency of occurrence of each fungus grown was calculated. Utilization and degradation of PAHs by each of the fungus was assessed using a plate assay and a spectrophotometric analysis. Thirty six isolates were recovered from samples from Sapugaskanda area, 21 from Hettimulla and 6 were common to both areas. Highest frequency of occurrence was observed in Eupenicillium sp.2 (95.0%) in samples from Sapugaskanda and white sterile sp.7 (32.5%) for Hettimulla. Highest PAH utilization with the highest colony diameter, was recorded for Nigrospora oryzae for naphthalene (85.2 mm) and phenanthrene (59.5 mm). Almost all isolates from Hettimulla demonstrated low colony diameters. According to spectrophotometric analysis, highest degradation was observed with Penicillium oxalicum for naphthalene (98.60%) and Nigrospora oryzae against phenanthrene (98.02%). Almost all isolates in samples from Hettimulla area displayed poor degradation ability. The findings of the current study clearly reveal that Macromitrium sp. in Sapugaskanda harbours higher number of endophytic fungi than that in Hettimulla and most of them have a considerable ability to utilize and degrade PAHs in contrast to that in Hettimulla. It could be speculated that those endophytic fungi in Macromitrium sp. of Sapugaskanda, could be potential sources of fungal bioremediation. Further, they have potential practical application in removing PAHs from contaminated sites.