White rot fungi can be a promising tool for removal of bisphenol A, bisphenol S, and nonylphenol from wastewater

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC) are a wide group of chemicals that interfere with the endocrine system. Their similarity to natural steroid hormones makes them able to attach to hormone receptors, thereby causing unfavorable health effects. Among EDC, bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol S (BPS), and nonylphenol (NP) seem to be particularly harmful. As the industry is experiencing rapid expansion, BPA, BPS, and NP are being produced in growing amounts, generating considerable environmental pollution. White rot fungi (WRF) are an economical, ecologically friendly, and socially acceptable way to remove EDC contamination from ecosystems. WRF secrete extracellular ligninolytic enzymes such as laccase, manganese peroxidase, lignin peroxidase, and versatile peroxidase, involved in lignin deterioration. Owing to the broad substrate specificity of these enzymes, they are able to remove numerous xenobiotics, including EDC. Therefore, WRF seem to be a promising tool in the abovementioned EDC elimination during wastewater treatment processes. Here, we review WRF application for this EDC removal from wastewater and indicate several strengths and limitations of such methods.