A renewable biological adsorbent fabricated Trichoderma viride composite spheres filled with spent Phellinus igniarius substrate exhibiting effective decontamination phosphate from water at wide range pH

Abstract

Effectively recovering local waste and utilizing it as adsorbents to absorb phosphate is crucial for resource utilization and mitigating water eutrophication. In this study, we successfully prepared SPS-Trichoderma viride spheres adsorbent (SPS-T.viride) using spent Phellinus igniarius substrate (SPS) at 25 °C and pH = 6. The maximum surface area of SPS (185.22 m2/g) SPS-T.viride obtained the highest P adsorption (126.65 mg P/g) at a dosing ratio of 30 g/L, which was 4–9 times higher than the adsorption capacity of other mycobacterial materials, which was caused by synergistic interactions between chemical and physical processes in the adsorption mechanism of phosphates. Remarkably, SPS-T.viride composite spheres demonstrate notable adsorption efficiency across diverse pollutants, particularly showing selective affinity for anionic pollutants. The practical applicability of SPS-T.viride composite spheres was assessed using real sewage samples, achieving an impressive removal rate of over 80 % under dynamic flow conditions. This approach highlights the potential of biosorbents in addressing environmental challenges while achieving sustainability and renewability.