Production of organically-bound chlorine during degradation of birch wood by common white-rot fungi

In vitro net production of organically-bound chlorine by common white-rot fungi during degradation of birch wood was investigated. It was found that eight of the nine strains examined caused a significant increase in the total amount of organically-bound chlorine (TOX) during the first 8 weeks of incubation, and seven of these species caused a further increase when incubated for an additional 22 weeks. Extractable, GC-amenable chlorinated organic compounds were detected only in samples of two of the investigated fungi and corresponded to 3%, or less, of the total amount of organically-bound chlorine. Possible underlying mechanisms and ecological role for production of organically-bound chlorine by white-rot fungi are discussed.