Formaldehyde degradation by a newly isolated fungus Aspergillus sp. HUA

Formaldehyde is widely used in chemical manufacturing industry and classified as a human carcinogen. Discharging wastewater containing formaldehyde without treatment can cause serious risk to the water environment. In this study, a formaldehyde-resistant fungal strain was isolated from sewerage of a furniture factory. Isolate strain was identified based on the morphological and phylogenetic analyses. Formaldehyde-degrading fungus was determined by characterizing the mycelia growth in culture media, formaldehyde-resistant, formaldehyde-degrading efficiencies, and specific enzyme activity involved in formaldehyde removal. Isolate strain HUA was identified as a member of Aspergillus sydowii . The strain HUA showed a growth in the presence of formaldehyde up to 2,400 mg l −1 at an optimum temperature of 25 °C and optimum pH of 7. The specific activity of formaldehyde dehydrogenase and formate dehydrogenase could reach up to 5.02 and 1.06 U mg −1 , respectively. It indicated that isolated formaldehyde-resistant A. sydowii HUA strain would be potential used for removing formaldehyde from industrial wastewater.