Mineralization of alachlor by lignin-degrading fungi.

White rot fungi were able to mineralize the aromatic ring carbon of alachlor to CO2. After 122 days, 14 and 12% of the alachlor that was initially present in malt extract cultures supplemented with a wood substrate was mineralized at room temperature by Ceriporiopsis subvermispora and Phlebia tremellosa, respectively. Although Phanerochaete chrysosporium mineralized alachlor at 25 degrees C, it did so more slowly than the other two white rot fungi. The brown rot fungus Fomitopsis pinicola did not mineralize alachlor.