Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are toxic air pollutants mainly released through vehicular emissions and can accumulate on edible plants, posing health risks to humans. This study aimed to isolate and identify endophytic fungi from Allium ampeloprasum and Brassica oleracea var. capitata, which are widely cultivated along roadside areas in the upcountry region of Sri Lanka. Sampling sites included Nuwara Eliya town, Nanu Oya, St. Clair’s, and Meepilimana (control), where above-ground parts of the selected vegetables were collected in six replicates. Fungal isolates were obtained through surface sterilization, and their ability to degrade PAHs (naphthalene, phenanthrene, anthracene, and pyrene) was evaluated using plate assays, spectrophotometric analysis, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Phyllosphere PAH concentrations were also measured using HPLC. It revealed significantly higher concentrations of all four PAHs in the phyllosphere of both vegetables at polluted sites, with the highest levels recorded in A. ampeloprasum from Nuwara Eliya town: naphthalene (145.92 ng/g), phenanthrene (97.67 ng/g), anthracene (88.71 ng/g), and pyrene (63.82 ng/g). Most endophytic fungal strains isolated from both vegetables were able to grow on Bacto Bushnell–Haas (BBH) medium supplemented with PAHs, producing colonies exceeding 20 mm in diameter. Spectrophotometric analysis showed that Fusarium liriodendri SP2 (PV400499.1) and Trichoderma atroviride SP1 (PV400486.1) achieved approximately 75% degradation of selected PAHs. Furthermore, HPLC analysis confirmed that these isolates effectively degraded all tested PAHs, with degradation rates of approximately 70%. F. liriodendri was the most efficient degrader, achieving degradation rates of 68.50 ± 2.34% for naphthalene, 65.26 ± 1.21% for phenanthrene, 69.21 ± 1.45% for pyrene, and 66.89 ± 1.98% for anthracene. The PAH degradation byproducts of the selected fungal isolates were non-toxic to Artemia salina, confirming their environmental safety. These results highlight the bioremediation potential of endophytic fungi isolated from A. ampeloprasum and B. oleracea var. capitata in PAH-contaminated environments.
Pavalakumar et al. (Mon,) studied this question.