Phenolic　compounds　are　widely　distributed　in　nature　and　industrial　environment,　and　their　detoxifi-cation　or　bioactive　enhancement　is　of　great　value　to　environmental　protection　and　industrial　develop-ment.　Laccases　are　multicopper　oxidases　that　catalyse　the　oligo-or　polymerisation　of　phenolic　compounds.　Identifying　new　laccase　producers　and　investigating　their　application　potential　are　of　great　importance.　In　this　study,　a　white-rot　fungus,　Trametes　hirsuta　EZ1,　with　significantly　high　laccase　pro-ductivity　was　isolated.　The　optimum　conditions　were　studied　for　the　maximum　fermentation　of　extra-cellular　laccase,　which　was　achieved　at　150　U/mL　with　a　medium　containing　10%　strain　EZ1,　7%　maltodextrin,　1.5%　peptone,　and　0.5　mM　Cu2+,　and　incubation　at　initial　pH　6.0,　32　degrees　C,　and　180　rpm　for　nine　days.　Subsequently,　a　70-kDa　laccase　was　purified　that　showed　activity　over　a　wide　range　of　tem-perature　and　pH,　sensitivity　to　many　metal　ions　and　sodium　dodecyl　sulphate,　and　high　tolerance　to　organic　solvents.　Purified　laccase　showed　a　significant　unreported　effect　by　catalysing　catechol　or　ferulic　acid　into　dimers,　trimers,　and　tetramers　or　caffeic　acid　into　dimers,　trimers,　tetramers,　and　pentamers.　The　oligomeric　mixtures　exhibited　increased　antioxidative　capacity　compared　to　that　of　each　parent　monomer,　except　for　caffeic　acid　derivatives.　Our　study　offers　a　novel　strain　source　for　laccase　production　and　broadens　its　application　in　the　enhancement　of　bioactive　compounds.(c)　2022　British　Mycological　Society.　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.