| abstract |
A method for degrading coal tar, coal tar distillation fractions, and organic compounds, specially those compounds having three or more fused rings of the type often associated with coal tar, whether derived from coal tar or synthesized independently. According to the present invention degradation takes place by means of the nonspecific degradation reaction used by white rot fungi to degrade lignin. The degradation reaction occurs in part by means of a lignin degrading enzyme and hydrogen peroxide, both produced by white rot fungi. |