Magnetic field stimulation improves methanol vapor biodegradation by Fusarium solani

Methanol is a volatile organic compound (VOC) widely used as a solvent and feedstock in several industrial processes. Its atmospheric emissions may affect air quality and pose potential risks to the environmental and health. Static Magnetic Fields (SMFs) have recently emerged as a promising approach to enhance microbial activity in biodegradation processes. However, their effects on fungal systems remain largely unexplored. This study evaluated the effect of SMF intensity on methanol vapor degradation by Fusarium solani to determine the most effective operational conditions. Batch reactors were exposed to an initial methanol concentration of 12.63 g/m 3 under four SMF intensities (0, 20, 40, and 70 mT). Subsequently, experiments conducted at varying methanol concentrations (7.01-140 g/m 3 ) under the selected SMF intensity (40 mT) were conducted to fit the Monod model and describe the degradation kinetics. The results confirmed that 40 mT and 12.6 g/m 3 of methanol provided the most favorable conditions, yielding an average maximum degradation rate (V max ) of 15 g/m 3 h. A lower intensity (20 mT) showed no significant difference compared to the control (0 mT), whereas exposure to 70 mT markedly reduced methanol degradation. Notably, moderate SMF exposure (40 mT) enhanced methanol degradation by Fusarium solani , while suppressing bacterial contamination during the kinetic experiments, maintaining a predominantly fungal population (>80%). These findings highlight SMF application as a novel biotechnological strategy with potential for enhancing methanol biodegradation. The minimal operational requirements and long magnetic lifetimes may support further investigation of SMF application in large-scale biodegradation systems.