Characterization of a formaldehyde degrading fungus Penicillium chrysogenum DY-F2 isolated from deep sea sediment

• A formaldehyde-degrading fungus Penicillium chrysogenum DY-F2 was isolated from deep sea sediment of East Pacific.
• The fungus can tolerate up to 3000 mg l−1 of formaldehyde in the culture medium.
• The fungus was capable of completely degrading formaldehyde with the formation of formic acid as the intermediate.
• Degradation of formaldehyde by the fungus conformed to a first-order kinetic model.

A formaldehyde-degrading fungus was isolated from deep sea sediment of East Pacific by enrichment culture technique and was identified as Penicillium chrysogenum DY-F2 based on microscopic spore morphology and 18S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The fungus showed high formaldehyde resistance and was able to grow in the presence of formaldehyde up to 3000 mg l−1. The optimal temperature and pH for the growth of fungus in the presence of 1000 mg l−1 of formaldehyde was 25 °C and 6.0, respectively. The fungus was able to degrade formaldehyde as the sole source of carbon and energy with the formation of formic acid as the intermediate. Degradation of formaldehyde by the fungus conformed to a first-order kinetic model. This study showed that the deep sea sediment fungi are the potential microbial resources for bioremediation of formaldehyde pollution in marine environment.