Mushroom Biomass and Spent Mushroom Substrate As Adsorbent to Remove Pollutants

Abstract

The edible and non-edible varieties of mushroom can be used as a green adsorbent and can be used in modified and natural form for the adsorption of dyes, pollutants and heavy metals. However, the use of edible mushroom varieties in the adsorption of pollutants is not judicious because edible mushrooms have good nutritive and medicinal properties and can be used for consumption. Recent research is thus focused on the utilization of spent mushrooms. Spent mushroom substrate, generated as waste by mushroom industries after the harvesting of mushroom, and hence, is the source of immobilized mushroom mycelium. The species of mushroom Agaricus, Pleurotus, Lentinus, Calocybe are efficient adsorbents with 70–90% removal of pollutants in laboratory conditions. Spent mushroom substrates can also remove pollutants such as dyes, heavy metals, pesticides and fungicides in laboratory conditions with comparable efficiency as mushroom. Chemisorption and physisorption processes are involved in the adsorption. The data of adsorption are well fitted to Langmuir isotherm, revealing the involvement of monolayer adsorption irrespective of the use of mushroom fruit bodies or spent mushroom substrate. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopic analysis reveal the presence of carboxyl, hydroxyl, amino group in the adsorption of pollutants, dyes and heavy metals.