Applications of ligninolytic enzymes to pollutants, wastewater, dyes, soil, coal, paper and polymers

The breakdown of plant lignin modifies the structure of lignocelluloses, thus making carbohydrates accessible for efficient bioconversion. White-rot fungi produce ligninolytic enzymes such as lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, laccases and various peroxidases, which mineralize lignin efficiently. We review here applications of ligninolytic enzymes for the delignification of lignocellulosic materials, the removal of recalcitrant organic pollutants, wastewater treatment, decolorization of dyes, soil treatment, conversion of high molecular weight coal fractions to low molecular weight coal fractions, which could be used as a feed stock for the production of commodity chemicals, biopulping and biobleaching in paper industries and enzymatic polymerization in polymer industries.