Mushrooms in the Bio-Remediation of Wastes from Soil

Weldesemayat Gorems Woldemariam

doi:10.7176/alst/76-04

Abstract

Mushrooms have played a great role in the field of bioremediation. Mushrooms are saprophyte highly specialized group of macro-fungi with a distinctive fruiting body, and have a unique capacity for degradation of certain types of organic pollutants like lignocellulotic wastes and bio-sorption of heavy metals. The degradation of ligenocellulotic wastes are initiated by the release of extracellular enzymes to the environment. The lignocellulaytic enzyme starts to degrade and breakdown the complex lignocellulotic wastes in to smaller and readily available molecules for their utilization. The present reviewed paper describes briefly the concerns regarding the extracellular mushroom enzymes, with having many potential applications in bioremediation of agricultural wastes, heavy metals and toxic organic compounds. Therefore, research is needed to develop understanding of integrated mushroom cultivation that optimizes mushroom utilization in the field of environmental remediation, while supporting other ecosystem services. Keywords: Edible Mushroom, Bioremediation and Bio-degradation, Heavy metals DOI : 10.7176/ALST/76-04 Publication date :September 30 th 2019

Highlights

There is a growing concern about effective biological waste management system worldwide
Soils contaminated with heavy metals and/or organic pollutants are generally left abandoned for several years because they may not be safe for human health as well as agricultural production
A number of approaches have been used for the removal of heavy metals; none of these methods are as effective when compared with biological methods because they are expensive, fail to completely remove heavy metals and still more expensive

Summary

Introduction

There is a growing concern about effective biological waste management system worldwide. Mushrooms, are macro fungi with a distinctive fruiting body, are unique biota which assembles their food by secreting degrading enzymes and decomposing the complex organic materials on which they grow (the substrate) to generate simpler compounds for their nutrition (Chang and Miles, 1992) These substrate materials are usually by-products from industry, households and agriculture which are usually considered as wastes. Bioremediation using Mushroom Bioremediation is one of the most promising alternatives for the control of environmental pollutions caused by heavy metals which have serious impact on human health and the environment It is a process of degradation/removal of toxic organic materials, e.g. from oil spills, pesticides, and industrial waste, at the molecular level, converting them to more innocuous compounds.

Tricholoma terreum

Common cultivated mushrooms

Yield species substrates

Findings

Conclusion