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MYCOREMEDIATION
Mycoremediation is the use of fungi for soil remediation. Fungi are decomposers at the bottom of the food web in soil.
This short clip explains the process of mycoremediation
How Does It Work?
The most important function of fungi is their ability to decompose. They metabolise complex organic compounds through the use of powerful enzymes. The most developed branch of mycoremediation is associated with white rot fungi. The white rot fungi are a physiologically similar to a group of fungi which produce enzymes that break down lignin and other similar multi-chained compounds. Lignin is a complex chemical compound which is commonly derived from wood, forming an integral part of the cell walls of plants. Lignon is chemically similar to many pollutants. As a result, white rot fungi enzymes are also able to break down hydrocarbons and other chemically similar compounds Fungi can also extract and hyperaccumulate heavy metals, concentrating them in the fruiting body of the fungi.
Applications:
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Industrial wastewaters
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Distillery and brewery wastes
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Petroleum hydrocarbons
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Pesticides
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Dyes
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Pulp and paper mill effluent
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Munitions wastes including TNT
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Bleach plant effluent
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Wood preservants
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Organochlorins
Below are some photos demonstrating the way in which this technology can be practically applied to real world problems to remediate marine environments. A successfull technique has been to inoculate straw with fungi, then use the ability of straw to soak up and absorb oil from surrounding water. The absorbed oil is then metabolised by the mycelium within the straw, often resulting in fruiting bodies formed by the mycelium, a sign of healthy fungi. This has resulted in the development of 'mycobooms' which function as described above except on a larger scale.
Straw inoculated w/ fungal mycelium
Further absorption of oil from water
Oil being added to straw
Oyster mushroom growing in straw
A mycoboom floating on salt water
Mushrooms growing from the end
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